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Published Thursday, March 5, 2020
$12 billion loans for countries
affected by deadly virus
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
As coronavirus Covid-19 reaches more than 60 countries, the World Bank announced Wednesday an initial package of up to $12 billion in loans in immediate support to assist countries coping with the health and economic impacts of the global outbreak.
According to the bank, these loans are designed to help member countries take effective action to respond to and, where possible, lessen the tragic impacts posed by the virus.
"Through this new fast track package, the World Bank Group will help developing countries strengthen health systems, including better access to health services to safeguard people from the epidemic, strengthen disease surveillance, bolster public health interventions, and work with the private sector to reduce the impact on economies," said the financial organization in its statement.
The loans will be globally coordinated to support country-based responses. It will also include policy advice and technical assistance drawing on global expertise and country-level knowledge.
“We are working to provide a fast, flexible response based on developing country needs in dealing with the spread of Covid-19,” said David Malpass, World Bank Group president. “This includes emergency financing, policy advice, and technical assistance, building on the World Bank Group's existing instruments and expertise to help countries respond to the crisis."
The loans will provide grants and low-interest loans for low-income countries and loans for middle-income countries, using all of the bank’s operational instruments with processing accelerated on a fast track basis, said the World Bank.
According to the most current information from the World Health Organization Wednesday night, 95,180 coronavirus cases have been reported around the world, and 3,254 patients died.
In China, where the virus was first detected, 80,282 cases were confirmed, and 2,981 patients died.
The mayor number of cases confirmed outside of China are in the Diamond Princess, cruise liner docked in Japan, 706, six deaths registered.
- Italy, 3,089 cases, 107 died.
- Iran, 2,922 cases, 92 died.
- South. Korea 5,621, 35 died.
- The U.S. 154 cases, 11 died.
- Japan, 331 cases, six died.
- France 285 cases, four died.
- Spain, 228 cases, two died.
- Hong Kong, 103 cases, two died.
- Austria 150 cases, two died.
- Iraq, 35 cases, two died.
- One patient died in Thailand, Taiwan, The Philippines, and San Marino.
In the Americas cases were confirmed in Chile, Canada, Ecuador, Brazil, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Argentina, as well as the U.S.
Other countries, with cases are: Singapore, Bahrain, Germany, Kuwait, Malaysia, Vietnam, U.K., U.A.E., Macao, Oman, Croatia, India, Austria, Finland, Israel, Lebanon, Pakistan, Russia, Sweden, Afghanistan, Algeria, Belgium, Cambodia, Egypt, Georgia, Greece, North Macedonia, Nepal, Norway, Romania, Sri Lanka, Bahrain Kuwait, the Netherlands, Azerbaijan, Czech Republic, Estonia, Denmark, Georgia, Qatar, Iceland, Ecuador, Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco, New Zealand, and Switzerland.
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