WHO thanks tech giants for fighting misinformation on Coronavirus

World Health Organisation (WHO) thanked global techlogy giants for helping spread relevant information and taking down misinformation regarding Coronavirus outbreak. 

READ: WHO Declares Coronavirus Outbreak A Global Health Emergency

WHO working towards combating misinformation

In a tweet, WHO's Director-General Dr. Tedros Adham Ghebreyesus thanked Google, Twitter, Facebook, Tencent, and TikTok for ir efforts to tackle misinformation regarding virus that has claimed hundreds of lives. Director-General also asked all digital firms across world to step up and help flag misinformation and defeat outbreak. 

Google, on Thursday, launched SOS alert in collaboration with WHO to make information easily accessible.  results will include safety tips, situation updates, and or resources from WHO. firm also issued a $250,000 direct grant to Chinese Red Cross.

READ: Facebook Working To Provide Helpful Coronavirus Information

Facebook has also taken up steps to deal with misinformation regarding virus. In a statement, firm said "Our global network of third-party fact-checkers are continuing ir work reviewing content and debunking false claims that are spreading related to coronavirus. When y rate information as false, we limit its spread on Facebook and Instagram and show people accurate information from se partners." firm has also partnered with Harvard University’s School of Public Health and National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan 'by sharing aggregated and anymized mobility data and high resolution population density maps to help inform ir forecasting models for spread of virus as part of our broader Data for Good program.'

READ: WHO Warns Shutting Down Borders Could Allow Coronavirus To Spread Faster

steps come hours after WHO declared  declared outbreak of virus a global public health emergency.

WHO chief Tedros Adham Ghebreyesus said, "We don’t kw what sort of dam this virus could do if it were to spread in a country with a weaker health system. We must act w to help countries prepare for that possibility. For all of se reasons, I am declaring a public health emergency of international concern over global outbreak of vel coronavirus. main reason for this declaration is t because of what is happening in China, but because of what is happening in or countries. Our greatest concern is potential for virus to spread to countries with weaker health systems, and which are ill-prepared to deal with it."

READ: US Raises Travel Advisory Over Coronavirus; Asks Citizens To t Travel To China