Texas and Florida latest to declare ‘major virus disasters’ with more than 125MILLION in emergency zones

TEXAS and Florida are the latest of six states to declare “major virus disasters” – meaning 125 million are now living in emergency zones. New York, California, Washington state and Louisiana have also been branded “disasters” as the US death toll soared past 860. Gov. Greg Abbott said today’s declaration will expand resources available to […]

TEXAS and Florida are the latest of six states to declare “major virus disasters” – meaning 125 million are now living in emergency zones.

New York, California, Washington state and Louisiana have also been branded “disasters” as the US death toll soared past 860.

AP:Associated Press

President Trump granted a Major Disaster Declaration for the state of Texas on Wednesday[/caption]

Reuters

Texas is the sixth state to be approved for a “major disaster declaration”[/caption]

Gov. Greg Abbott said today’s declaration will expand resources available to Texas as well as its ability to “robustly respond” to COVID-19,

“GREAT NEWS. President Trump just granted a Major Disaster Declaration for Texas,” he wrote.

“This will expand the resources available to Texas & speed our ability to robustly respond to #coronavirus.”

The approval comes a day after Abbott wrote a letter to the president requesting additional help from the federal government to save lives and protect residents from the outbreak that has killed more than 800 in the US.

“Texas is all-in on our response to COVID-19 and we need Washington’s financial assistance to support our efforts to limit the spread of the virus,” he said in a statement Tuesday.

The state’s coronavirus-related expenses have already exceeded $50 million, so “additional funding is essential for us to maintain our aggressive course of action to protect our state,” Abbott said.

He said Monday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gave the state $36.9 million as part of its initial allotted funding from the first emergency COVID-19 bill passed by Congress.

Getty Images - Getty

Local officials worry that the infection may spread quickly among homeless people[/caption]

Getty Images - Getty

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott wrote a letter to the president asking for more federal assistance on Tuesday[/caption]

Alamy Live News

Florida is the latest state to be declared a “major disaster” due to the coronavirus outbreak[/caption]

The White House announced Florida will receive additional FEMA assistance after being declared a “major disaster” for coronavirus on Wednesday afternoon.

More than 125 million residents in all six states are living in emergency zones, meaning that they are highest at risk of contracting the virus.

AP:Associated Press

Florida will receive additional aid from FEMA, the White House said Wednesday[/caption]

Getty Images - Getty

Trump also approved the declaration for Louisiana, which could begin housing COVID-19 patients in hotels[/caption]

Reuters

New York, the epicenter of the outbreak, has more than 13,000 coronavirus cases[/caption]

A major disaster declaration gives states access to federal assistance programs for individual and public infrastructure, including money for emergency and permanent work, according to the Alabama Statesman.

Trump approved the disaster declarations for Washington state and New York on Sunday as more than 100 million Americans were told to “stay home”.

EPA

National Guards pack food and other essentials to help with the coronavirus response in California[/caption]

Reuters

Washington state has recorded 125 deaths due to the outbreak, many of which were elderly people[/caption]

AP:Associated Press

Trump approved the disaster declaration in Washington state and New York[/caption]

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