Noting that the pandemic has forced "unprecedented lockdowns, travel suspensions and limited movement across borders, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on the Group of 20 (G20) countries to take concerted action to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and build back better.

Iran has applied for a loan of 50 million U.S. dollars from the World Bank to fund the fights against the novel coronavirus, Financial Tribune daily reported on Monday.

Tunisian Foreign Minister Noureddine Erray on Friday expressed support for China's efforts to combat the novel coronavirus.