Combating COVID-19: Trump approves Maryland's disaster declaration

US President Donald Trump on Thursday (local time) approved a major disaster declaration by the federal administration in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

"Today, President Donald J. Trump declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Maryland and ordered Federal assistance to supplement State, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic beginning on January 20, 2020, and continuing," read a statement issued by the office of the President's press secretary.

"The President's action makes Federal funding available to State, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, for all areas in the State of Maryland impacted by COVID-19," it said.

Pete Gaynor, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named MaryAnn Tierney as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the State and warranted by the results of further assessments, the statement added.

The United States now has more COVID-19 cases than any other country. More than 82,400 coroanvirus cases have been reported in the US according to Johns Hopkins University.

There were more than 81,700 known cases in China and 80,500 in Italy, Al Jazeera reported.

More than 510,000 people have been infected worldwide.

The total tally of deaths from the disease is over 23,000, with nearly 123,000 reoveries reported.