UN seeks funds to shield refugees from coronavirus

GENEVA: The United Nations made an urgent appeal on Tuesday for tens of millions of dollars to help protect vulnerable refugees against the spread of the deadly new coronavirus.

The UN refugee agency said it was seeking an initial $33 million "to boost the preparedness, prevention and response activities to address the immediate public health needs of refugees prompted by COVID-19." So far, there have not been any reports of the virus, which has killed more than 4,000 people worldwide, spreading among communities of refugees and asylum seekers.

But UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi stressed the need to protect some of the world’s most vulnerable against the disease, which shows mild symptoms in most cases but which often provokes severe illness and death in the weakest individuals.

"The virus can affect anyone and it is our collective responsibility to ensure that the global response includes all people," Grandi said in a statement. "Allowing full access to health services, including for the most marginalised members of the community, is the best way to protect us all," he said.