WHO needs USD 61.5 mn to respond to coronavirus outbreak

WHO needs USD 45 million to assess national preparedness for the epidemic and fund emergency response, with USD 12 million required to set up an international coordination mechanism.

Geneva:The World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Tuesday that it needed USD 61.5 million to address the near-term impact of the coronavirus outbreak in China.

The health authority's executive board said at a plenary session in Geneva that measures were to be taken within the next three months.

WHO needs USD 45 million to assess national preparedness for the epidemic and fund emergency response, with USD 12 million required to set up an international coordination mechanism.

The agency is also in need of USD 4.5 million for research.

Several countries are working against the clock to develop a vaccine against the new strain of coronavirus that emerged in Wuhan.