UN releases US$15m to vulnerable countries
The coronavirus, first detected in China in December 2019 has infected more than 89,000 people globally and caused over 3,000 deaths.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has named the illness COVID-19, referring to its origin late last year and the coronavirus that causes it.
The latest figures reported by each government’s health authority stated that mainland China recorded 2,912 deaths among 80,026 cases, mostly in the central province of Hubei; Hong Kong, 98 cases, 2 deaths; Macao, 10 cases; South Korea, 4,335 cases, 26 deaths; Italy, 1,694 cases, 34 deaths; Iran, 1,501 cases, 66 deaths; Japan, 961 cases including 705 from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, 12 deaths; France: 130 cases, including one on the French Caribbean Island of Guadeloupe, 2 deaths; Germany, 130 cases; Singapore, 106; United States, 80 cases, 2 deaths and Spain, 71.
Others are Kuwait, 56; Bahrain, 47; Thailand, 43 cases, 1 death; Taiwan, 41 cases, 1 death; United Kingdom: 35 cases, 1 death; Malaysia, 29 cases; Australia, 24 cases, 1 death; Canada, 24 cases; Switzerland, 24 cases; Iraq, 21; United Arab Emirates, 21, Norway, 19 cases; Vietnam 16 cases; Sweden, 14 cases; Austria, 14; Israel, 10; Lebanon, 10; Netherlands, 10; Belgium, 8; Croatia, 8; Greece, 7; Finland, 6; Oman, 6; India, 5; Russia, 5; Denmark, 4; Mexico, 4; Pakistan, 4; Algeria; 3; Czech Republic, 3; Philippines, 3 cases, 1 death; Qatar, 3; Romania, 3; Belarus, 2; Brazil, 2; Egypt, 2; Georgia, 2; Indonesia, 2; Afghanistan, 1; Andorra, 1; Armenia; 1, Azerbaijan, 1; Cambodia, 1; Dominican Republic , 1; Ecuador, 1; Estonia, 1; Iceland, 1; Ireland, 1; Lithuania, 1; Monaco, 1; Nepal, 1; New Zealand, 1; Nigeria, 1; North Macedonia, 1; Portugal, 1; San Marino, 1 and Sri Lanka, 1.
Meanwhile, WHO said the United Nations has released $15 million emergency funds to help vulnerable countries fight the pandemic.
The director general WHO Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, disclosed this on the agency’s twitter handle, @WHO on Monday.
He said the potential spread of COVID-19 to countries with weaker health system was one of the agency’s biggest concerns.
“WHO thanks UN Humanitarian Chief Mark Lowcock for releasing US$15 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to help fund global efforts to contain the COVID-19 virus.
“We thank the agency for releasing the fund to help weak countries battle the spread of the virus,’’ he said.
WHO is calling for 675 million dollars to fund the fight against coronavirus.
The UN announced on Sunday that WHO and UNICEF will use the funds to undertake essential activities such as monitoring the spread of the virus, investigating cases and operating national laboratories.
Lowcock said in a statement released by Lowcock that it was not too late to contain COVID-19.
“We do not yet see evidence that the virus is spreading freely. As long as that’s the case, we still have a chance of containing it.
“Swift and robust action must be taken to detect cases early to isolate and care for patients, and trace contacts. We must act now to stop this virus from putting more lives at risk,” he added.
He said the emergency grant will support countries with fragile health systems to boost their detection and response efforts and it “has the potential to save the lives of millions of vulnerable people”.
UNICEF will use its share of the funds to support the agency’s global efforts to inform children, pregnant women and families about how to protect themselves, agency chief, Henrietta Fore said.
