As part of its "Stop the Spread" initiative, The Coca-Cola Foundation is supporting the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society's efforts to strengthen the government's nationwide vaccine rollout and registration process. The project will assist citizens with the online registration process; facilitate inoculations of people under the vaccination programmes organised by the government; provide PPE kits to health workers and vaccination campaign volunteers, and members of underprivileged communities. It targets 20,000 health workers and volunteers in 40 highly impacted districts and aims to promote hygiene and sanitation practices in 35 districts. READ: COVID-19: Efforts of Bangladesh Red Crescent Society volunteers, staff lauded "We know the Covid-19 crisis is far from over," said Saadia Madsbjerg, president of The Coca-Cola Foundation. "We are proud to use our resources to support Bangladesh Red Crescent Society's efforts to help #StopTheSpread." Major General (retd) ATM Abdul Wahab, chairman of Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, appreciated the initiative and urged other multinational companies to support life saving activities. "Red Crescent and Coca-Cola have teamed up to help people in this difficult situation in Bangladesh." The Coca-Cola Foundation has created a special "Stop the Spread" fund worldwide to help support initiatives that help contain the virus. READ: Coronavirus: ICRC donates 500,000 CHF to Bangladesh Red Crescent Society The fund is being channelised towards facilitating vaccine distribution, Covid safety kits and creating awareness around vaccination and sanitary practices to contain the spread of the pandemic.

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved a USD 250 million loan for Bangladesh as the country grapples with the fallout of novel coronavirus or COVID-19.   The loan, co-financed with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), is part of a programme to provide the government of Bangladesh with budget support to mitigate the adverse effects of the pandemic on the country’s poor and most vulnerable, particularly those affected by job losses in small and medium enterprises and the informal sector, as well as strengthen social safety nets.    The programme also has specific targets to support women in export-oriented industries.   Bangladesh is extremely vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus given that it has one of the highest population densities in the world, AIIB said on Thursday.   Nearly 15 percent of households continue to live in poverty, with a high share of households living in informal settlements, and more than 80 percent of the workforce employed in the informal sector, all of which make it difficult and expensive to maintain social distancing measures to contain the spread of the virus, it said.    According to ADB estimates, a serious outbreak would result in job losses ranging from 1.4 to 3.7 million.   “Our support to Bangladesh is part of AIIB’s broader proactive efforts to respond to the needs of our vulnerable members to weather the COVID-19 crisis,” said AIIB Vice President, Investment Operations, D.J. Pandian.   Pandian noted that Bangladesh had in recent years performed exceedingly well with annual growth averaging 7.4 percent over the last five years.  “It’s incumbent on the international community to come together to ensure that the country doesn’t fall behind but continues to make strides in its development efforts.”   While AIIB does not have a regular instrument for policy-based financing, the Bank is extending such financings on an exceptional basis under the COVID-19 Crisis Recovery Facility to support its members on projects co-financed with the World Bank or the Asian Development Bank.   AIIB’s COVID-19 Crisis Recovery Facility, created as part of the coordinated international response to counter the COVID-19 crisis, has an initial size of USD5-USD10 billion to support AIIB members’ urgent economic, financial and public health pressures and quick recovery from the crisis.    AIIB is currently reviewing projects from a number of members. Projects being proposed under the facility can be found here. Additional information about the Bangladesh COVID-19 Active Response and Expenditure Support Programme can be found here.   AIIB is a multilateral development bank with a mission to improve social and economic outcomes in Asia. 

China will continue to stand and work closely with Bangladesh and the world to fight together against the pandemic for a better and shared future, said Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming.   "It’s China’s firm belief that only with solidarity and cooperation, the international community can prevail over the epidemic and protect humanity's common home," he said in a message marking the month of fasting - Ramadan.    The China-Bangladesh Friendship International Exhibition Centre in Dhaka, fully funded by China, will turn into a makeshift hospital for the COVID-19 patients, said the Ambassador.    Bangladesh made a proposal in this regard while the Chinese side responded positively, said official told UNB.    Besides, a Chinese medical team of experts comprising doctors, nurses and technicians, will come to Bangladesh to help combat the virus, he said.   The whole world is grappling with the pandemic, with most countries, including Bangladesh, still in the early stages of the outbreaks, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

China on Monday called for efforts to send medical experts and resources from inland areas to border regions to help fight novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Puerto Rico's governor announced Saturday that the U.S. territory will remain on lockdown until May 3 to curb coronavirus cases, marking one of the strictest measures taken in a U.S jurisdiction.