For First Time Ever, All 50 US States Now Under Major Disaster Declaration At Same Time

Authored by Jack Phillips via The Epoch Times,

President Donald Trump on Saturday approved a disaster declaration for Wyoming, meaning that all 50 states are under a major disaster declaration amid the CCP virus pandemic.

The declaration for the state comes about three weeks after the first disaster order in New York, the epicenter of the virus.

Non-state territories including the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, Washington, Guam, and Puerto Rico are all under disaster declarations. The only one that isn’t under such a declaration is American Samoa.

“Public Assistance Federal funding is available to the state, tribal and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance under Public Assistance, for all areas in the state of Wyoming affected by COVID-19 at a federal cost share of 75 percent,” Trump’s declaration on Wyoming read.

It’s the first time a president has ever declared a major disaster in all 50 states at the same time, said deputy press secretary Judd Deere.

🚨With @realDonaldTrump’s declaration for WY, the President has now declared for the 1st time in history that a major disaster exist within all 50 states at once. The President continues to respond to the needs of every Governor to protect the health of all Americans. 🇺🇸 #COVID19

— Judd Deere (@JuddPDeere45) April 11, 2020

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

“The President continues to respond to the needs of every Governor to protect the health of all Americans,” Deere wrote on Twitter on Saturday.

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon sought the declaration last week in a letter to Trump.

“Though Wyoming has not reached the dire situations of some states, this declaration will help us to prepare and mobilize resources when we need them,” Gordon said, according to news reports.

The United States, meanwhile, has surpassed Italy on Saturday as the country with the most deaths related to the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic, according to a running tally from Johns Hopkins University.

Despite the data, there have been indicators that the social distancing guidelines are working, said Trump on Friday.

“Nationwide, the number of new cases per day is flattening substantially, suggesting that we are near the peak and our comprehensive strategy is working,” he said during a White House briefing.

Trump added that he is now looking to create a taskforce that is comprised of doctors and business leaders aimed at reopening the U.S. economy.

Health authorities have urged Americans to avoid close contact with one another, use good hand-washing hygiene, and not leave their homes as much as possible. Symptoms of the potentially fatal disease include fever, cough, and shortness of breath, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

*  *  *

Support The Epoch Times’ independent journalism and donate a ‘Coffee’ now.