Amid Coronavirus scare, World Bank,IMF to hold annual spring meetings in 'virtual format'

Amid growing concerns over vel Coronavirus across world,  World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday anunced that y will  hold ir annual spring meeting "virtually." Every year, WB and IMF bring several delegates, journalists, observers and more to Washington DC for meeting. Furr, meeting is scheduled from April 17 to April 19. 

In an email to staff on Tuesday, World Bank's President said that with outbreak of Coronavirus intensifying, y will hold  2020 World Bank Group-IMF Spring Meetings to a virtual format

UN releases fund 

United Nations has released $15 million from Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to help fund global efforts to contain vel coronavirus COVID-19. UN Humanitarian Chief Mark Lowcock anunced release of fund after World Health Organisation (WHO) raised alert to its top level of risk assessment - ‘very high’.

UN funding has been released for WHO and UNICEF to help essential activities including monitoring spre of virus, investigating cases, and operation of national laboratories. WHO has called for $675 million in funding to combat dely virus. WHO Director-General said that biggest concern is countries with weaker health systems.

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Death toll rises in China

According to reports on Monday, 42 new deaths in China due to coronavirus infections have been confirmed, taking total death toll to over 3,000. While most of cases are from Hubei province of China and city of Wuhan, epicentre of outbreak, or countries, including Iran, Italy, Japan and Philippines, have also w reported deaths related to COVID-19.

First detected in city of Wuhan, in Hubei Province of China, virus outbreak has w spre across 20 countries since December 2019.  World Health Organisation (WHO) has dubbed virus as COVID-19. 

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Coronavirus outbreak

On March 1, UN Humanitarian Chief Mark Lowcock released $15 million from Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to help fund global efforts to contain virus. anuncement came soon after WHO upgred global risk of coronavirus outbreak to "very high" – its top level of risk assessment. WHO has said re is still a chance of containing virus if its chain of transmission is broken. 

WHO has called for US$675 million to fund fight against coronavirus. re is a window of opportunity to contain spre of virus if countries take robust measures to detect cases early, isolate and care for patients, and trace contacts.

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