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COVID-19 Cases In Maine Increase, Trump Admin. Approves Federal Disaster Declaration For State

Nick Woodward
/
Maine Public
CDC Director Dr. Nirav Shah speaks at a press briefing March 26, 2020

The Maine CDC Saturday said the number of cases of COVID 19 in the state is up to 456, with more than half the total from Cumberland County.

83 Mainers are hospitalized with the disease, and the number of deaths is now 10. The latest death was a York county man in his 70s. 140 individuals have recovered from the disease in Maine.

Saturday, President Donald Trump approved Gov. Janet Mills' request for a federal disaster declaration in Maine due to COVID-19, a designation that will free up federal assistance for state agencies and municipalities in Maine. According to a press release from the governor's office, the approval is intended for public assistance "which means that State agencies and municipalities in all of Maine’s 16 counties will be reimbursed for 75 percent of approved costs associated with their COVID-19 response."

Mills has made other assistance requests to the federal government, including for child care and behavioral health. These requests are still under review by the Trump Administration.

On Friday, Gov. Janet Mills issued an executive order mandating that travelers to Maine self-quarantine for 14 days. The order also suspended lodging operations and online reservations at hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, inns and short-term rentals and campgrounds beginning Sunday, April 5 at noon.

Updated 4:50 p.m. April 4, 2020

Correction: a previous version of this post misstated the number of cases reported Saturday.