“There are friendly and good neighborly relations between Azerbaijan and Iran. The relevant ministries and government agencies of both countries work closely to prevent the spread of the COVID-19," Azerbaijan’s Cabinet of Ministers told Trend.
According to the Cabinet of Ministers, the Azerbaijani government ordered the allocation of these funds from the reserve fund of the state budget for 2020.
As a contribution to international efforts to prevent the risk of the spread of coronavirus infection, Azerbaijan's government provided voluntary financial assistance worth $5 million to the COVID-19 Fund as part of the WHO Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (SPRP). On March 7 the World Health Organization officially thanked Azerbaijan for its financial contribution to the global COVID-19 response.
According to the latest updates on Saturday, the outbreak has infected 5,823 individuals, 1,076 up from yesterday. The Health Ministry said that 1,699 patients have so far recovered while the death toll has hit 145.
Iran has adopted nationwide measures to contain the outbreak including the closure of schools and universities, regular disinfection of public places, and imposing restrictions on domestic travels. However, the unfair US sanctions imposed on Iran during the past two years have limited Iran’s ability to access the required funds.
MNA/PR