US declares major disaster in all 50 states at once, first time in history
April 12, 2020 06:02 pm
President Donald Trump of the United States of America issued a major disaster declaration for Wyoming on Saturday, meaning that there is now such a declaration within all 50 states due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is the first time a president has ever declared a major disaster in all 50 states at once, according to Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere.
The move comes as confirmed cases of the coronavirus reached at least 519,453 as of Saturday afternoon. At least 20,071 people have died in the U.S. due to the disease, a death toll surpassing the one in hard-hit Italy -- and a figure that has doubled, from 10,000 to more than 20,000, in just five days. Worldwide, confirmed cases have surpassed 1.75 million, and more than 100,000 people have died.
Wyoming on Saturday became the final state to receive such a declaration, which comes 22 days after the first one was approved, for New York, on March 20.
In addition to the 50 states, disaster declarations are also in place for Washington, D.C., as well as Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Only one U.S. territory isn’t under a major disaster declaration — American Samoa.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said he is signing an executive order that requires all riders on NJ Transit buses and trains and on private bus lines to wear a mask or face covering.
The order also says transit operators must provide their workers with masks and gloves.
“For many of our essential workers, public transit is how they get to work and we need to protect them during that trip,” the governor said at a press conference on Saturday.
In addition, Murphy said he was reducing the capacity on all buses, trains, and rails by 50 percent.
The governor previously said that all residents must wear a face covering when inside a grocery store or supermarket. On Saturday, he extended that to include restaurants and bars when residents go inside to pick up takeout orders.
The new orders go into effect Monday at 8 pm.
-Agencies
