Uber announces compensation for drivers who contract coronavirus

Amid the ongoing battle against coronavirus, Uber and other delivery companies have announced that they would compensate employees who get infected with COVID-19. Meanwhile, the deadly virus has infected over 1,10,087 and killed 3,830 people across the globe with a majority in Mainland China. However, nearly 62,283 have recovered from the infection, international media reported. 

Uber on March 7 announced that all the partner drivers who provide documentation that they have contracted the virus or quarantined by health authorities would be provided compensation for a period up to 14 days. An Uber spokesman for the countries told a new agency that it had already begun in some markets adding that the organisation was working to implement the move worldwide. 

Following their footsteps, San Francisco-based food delivery system DoorDash and American technology company Instacart have reportedly said that they were in discussions with other companies in the sector to take the global health crisis into consideration.  

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According to reports, DoorDash said that it was working to protect the health and safety of the entire community in response to the spread on COVID-19 “including options with peer companies to compensate.” The company also highlighted a “delivery instructions feature” that allows drivers to drop food at the doorstep with a photo of where the food should be dropped through the app. 

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COVID-19 hits the US

At least 22 people have died from coronavirus in the United States of America till now, international media reported on March 9. The deadly virus which has now spread across 34 US states has reportedly infected over 554 people in the country. However, President Donald Trump who earlier claimed that the viral outbreak was in control, took to Twitter on March 8 to defend his administration. 

This comes as the virus has hit 34 states with most cases reported in states of New York Washington and California. Out of the total 554 cases, 49 cases are repatriated from abroad, 21 cases are from the Grand Princess cruise ship and the rest 494 cases were detected and confirmed on US soil. 

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