Governor Larry Hogan announced tonight that Maryland has received a Major Disaster Declaration from the federal administration in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The declaration means that Maryand is eligible to be reimbursed for the Emergency Protective Measures taken by state and local government agencies and certain non-profit groups under its Public Assistance program under the Robert T. Stafford Act.
Earlier today, Maryland reported 580 confirmed cases of COVID-19—an increase of 157 new cases, which is by far the largest one-day increase to date. The number of confirmed cases in the National Capital Region has quadrupled over the past week.
According to a press release:
The announcement comes just hours after Governor Hogan pushed for disaster declarations for the states during a teleconference with the White House. As chairman of the National Governors Association, he also continued to press for further action on the five requests he submitted to the president and vice president last week.
“We are pleased that our federal partners answered our calls for action and swiftly granted Maryland’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration,” Governor Hogan said. “This declaration will help provide much-needed funding for state and local governments and nonprofits, and it will be another important step in Maryland’s aggressive and coordinated response to COVID-19.”
“The COVID-19 pandemic is having a significant impact on our entire state and country unlike anything we have seen before,” said Russell Strickland, Executive Director for the Maryland Emergency Management Agency. “We have been working alongside Governor Hogan and our local partners to ensure the continued safety and wellbeing of all Marylanders. This declaration is an important and necessary step to continue on our path of resilience.”
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For up-to-date information and state resources regarding coronavirus, including confirmed case counts and clinician guidance, visit http://health.maryland.gov/coronavirus.
