Published 20:35 IST, March 10th 2020
Bill Gates to donate $5 million worth of coronavirus test kits in Seattle: Report
To tackle the coronavirus outbreak, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is partnering with the University of Washington to offer home testing kits.
To tackle the coronavirus outbreak, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is partnering with the University of Washington to offer home testing kits to people in the Seattle area. According to 'Seatle Times' the foundation is pledging $5 million to facilitate at-home coronavirus test kits to those at risk in the Seatle area. The leader of coronavirus response at Bill Gates foundation, Scott Dowell reportedly said that their main motive is to eventually process thousands of tests every day with the help of the kits.
While speaking to the international media outlet, Dowell said that the 'at-home' kits will allow people to take swabs of their nose and send samples for testing. He further stated that the results will also be quick and will be released within a day or two. The infected people, however, would have to fill a small questionnaire with their whereabouts and their travelling history to better understand the route of the deadly disease.
Dowell reportedly said that the project is to identify the people who are positive for the virus so that they can be safely isolated and cared for. He further added that it is also for the identification of their contacts, who can then be quarantined. The project comes as the coronavirus cases in the United States have been rising at an exponential rate, especially in Seatle and Washington DC.
729 confirmed cases in US
Currently, the United States has 729 Coronavirus patients and the deadly virus has claimed 27 lives in the country. According to reports, Washington DC also confirmed three more people positive of coronavirus. New York has also declared a state of emergency which forced the suspension of schools and colleges in the State.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on March 7 declared the state of emergency to help New York quickly and effectively contain the spread of the virus. According to an international media outlet, the state of emergency will allow expedited procurement of cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer, and other essential resources.
As of now, eight states in the US have declared an emergency in response to coronavirus which includes Washington, Florida, California, Kentucky, New York, Maryland, Utah and Oregon. Governor Kate Brown was the latest to declare emergency as he put Oregon under emergency on March 8. Virginia and Connecticut reported their first cases on March 8.
Updated 20:35 IST, March 10th 2020