COVID-19: Lockdown order sparks protests in US, as UN calls for $350m global emergency fund

Protests have erupted in some state’s in the United States of America over a persisting “stay at home” order issued by government to stem the spread of the dreaded COVID-19 virus.

This comes as COVID-19 related deaths in the US exceeded 40,000 with nearly half of all casualties in New York with signs of slowdown in the pandemic in parts of Europe, as some countries begin to tentatively ease lockdowns.

According to data compiled by John Hopkins University, 2.4 million people have been diagnosed with the virus, while more than 165,000 have died and nearly 625,000 people have recovered.

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In a related development, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs on Sunday issued an urgent call for $350 million to scale-up the global emergency supply system and ensure crucial assistance to tackle the coronavirus gets to the world’s poorest countries.

The system is coordinated by the World Food Programme and includes regional warehousing and staging hubs, shipping services, medical evacuation for front line workers, infrastructure and the construction of treatment centres.

“Every human being, in every nation around the world, is facing the same mortal threat,” the UN body said in a statement signed by other UN and humanitarian organisations. “Every step that speeds that recovery saves lives.”

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