The World Bank has announced $ 12 billion in aid to help developing countries cope with the "health and economic impacts" of the emerging Corona virus, which has spread to more than 60 countries worldwide.
The bank said in a statement posted on its website, that this funding "aims to help member states take effective measures to respond to alleviate the catastrophic effects caused by the virus and reduce them wherever possible." "Through this rapid new package, the World Bank Group will help developing countries to strengthen health systems, including improving access to health services, to protect populations from this epidemic, and to strengthen disease surveillance activities," he added. The bank explained that the financial package would allow "the provision of low-interest grants and loans from the International Development Association to low-income countries and loans from the World Bank for Reconstruction and Development to middle-income countries with the use of all the bank´s process tools and expedited exchange procedures." The new Corona virus continues to circulate in many countries of the world, with fears of more infections and deaths. The mysterious virus appeared in China, for the first time on December 12, 2019, in the city of "Wuhan", but Beijing officially revealed it in mid-January. According to the latest official statistics, the number of deaths due to the Corona virus around the world has exceeded 3,000, while the infection rate in China, the virus´s habitat, has decreased. Countries are still taking strict precautions to contain the virus, which has spread to more than 60 countries.
