US announces financial assistance of $2.9 million to help India fight COVID-19

As countries across fail to cope with the ever-mounting cases of coronavirus, the United States has announced financial assistance of 274 million US Dollars to 64 countries which include 2.9 million US Dollars to India to tackle the outbreak.

"United States has announced financial assistance of 274 million US Dollars to 64 countries including 2.9 million US Dollars to India to help fight the #COVID19. The emergency health & humanitarian funding is for 64 of the most at-risk countries," US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated.

Pompeo further said that financial assistance was given to the Indian government to 'prepare laboratory systems, activate case finding and event-based surveillance, and support technical experts for response & preparedness.'

"This funding is an initial investment, on top of the continuing funding we already provide to multilateral organizations such as the World Health Organization and UNICEF," Pompeo further added.

The United States has recorded 123,776 positive cases, with more than 2000 deaths.

On March 6, United States President  Donald Trump signed the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act to tackle the crisis in the country, and also includes 1.3 billion in additional U.S. foreign assistance to help countries around the world to fight the pandemic.

As of 10 AM on Sunday, India has recorded 979 positive cases with 27 deaths. Out of the positive cases, 931 are Indian nationals and 48 are Foreign nationals. 87 people have already been cured of the disease.