With confirmed cases of COVID-19 now recorded in 22 of Maryland’s 24 political subdivisions, Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan (R) has requested that President Trump declare the state a disaster area.
The request, sent Wednesday, would qualify state and local governments and Maryland non-profits for “disaster unemployment insurance, hazard mitigation and emergency protection measures,” Hogan said during a State House news conference.
As of Wednesday morning, the state had 423 cases, up 74 from the day before, the biggest one-day jump since the count began.
Given the health crisis facing New York City, Hogan ordered that any Marylander who has “recently” visited the Tri-State area “must quarantine in place and limit all contact with others for at least 14 days.”
Maryland’s congressional delegation sent Trump a letter supporting Hogan’s request for the disaster designation.
“We agree that the federal government must immediately bring the full weight of its resources to bear… to protect Marylanders during this public health crisis,” the lawmakers wrote.
They said that assisting Maryland was of prime importance to the federal government because of the number of state residents who work for various government agencies.
“Federal assistance in this case would help preserve the continuity of government by protecting the health of all Marylanders, including those who are putting their lives on the line every day working to combat COVID-19 and safeguard the well-being of all Americans,” the members of Congress said.
Bruce DePuyt
Reporter
Bruce DePuyt is a contributor to Maryland Matters, where he was a full-time reporter until December 2022. Previously, DePuyt spent nearly three decades on local television, including 14 years as producer and host of “NewsTalk” on NewsChannel 8 in the Washington, D.C., region. He was a reporter and anchor on “News 21” in Montgomery, where he also served as producer and host of “21 This Week.” He then became a reporter and anchor at NBC affiliate WVIR in Charlottesville, Va. He appears occasionally on WTOP (103.5 FM), WAMU (88.5 FM) and MPT.
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