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Coronavirus Pandemic Risks Reversing Anti-Poverty Gains, World Bank Says

By VOA News April 30, 2020

The progress that has been made in fighting world poverty is at risk of being reversed by the coronavirus pandemic, the World Bank said Thursday.

The pandemic has forced millions of people worldwide out of jobs and as a result, the World Bank said global poverty rates will climb for the first time since 1988.

The World Bank said developing countries would be hardest hit, particularly those in sub-Saharan Africa, where nearly half of the continent's job losses have occurred. It said the economic downturn in South Asia would likely be the region's worst in 40 years.

The United Nations estimates 8% of the world's population, about 500 million people, could be forced into poverty by year's end.

The U.N. said $90 billion in humanitarian aid is likely needed to help the most at-risk populations, far more than what it has raised to date.

US letting restrictions expire

In the United States, the Trump administration is not planning to extend federal coronavirus social distancing guidelines that expire Thursday, focusing instead on its efforts to work with states on plans to reopen the country.

The administration's decision came as the U.S. continues to lead the world in reported infections and deaths.

Nearly one-third of all cases worldwide are in the U.S., with more than 1 million. About 61,500 people have died from COVID-19 in the U.S., more than twice the number of fatalities in Italy, which ranks second in deaths.

Individual U.S. state governors are deciding when and at what pace to relax restrictions on nonessential businesses and group gatherings, and stay-at-home orders.

Trump said Wednesday that the federal guidelines first issued in mid-March will be "fading out," while his administration consults with governors on their plans.

Health officials have cautioned about moving too quickly toward Trump's desired "return to normal," saying that doing so risks new waves of infections.

Many states are already starting to allow more businesses to operate with social distancing guidelines such as extra space between restaurant tables, while others have announced plans to begin easing lockdown orders in the coming weeks.

Other nations consider easing restrictions

Discussions about relaxing lockdown orders are taking place in many other countries, including Japan, where Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Thursday that his government is consulting experts about whether to extend a state of emergency that is set to expire next week.

Japan has about 14,000 confirmed cases, and Abe said the situation remains "severe."

Germany announced plans Thursday to further reopen its economy. The country will reopen places of worship, playgrounds and museums on Monday after small shops reopened this week.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned, however, that a coronavirus resurgence could occur if people forget about social distancing.

"We must work to make sure we bring the number of new infections down further," Merkel said. "If the infection curve becomes steep again, we need to have a warning system to notice it early and be able to act."

Finland is the latest European country to announce plans to reopen schools. Beginning May 14, students will return with new rules that include having fewer students in a classroom and avoiding groups in communal areas.

Some places haven't seen the worst

While parts of the world focus on emerging from the worst of their coronavirus outbreaks, there remains great concern about parts of the world that are just beginning to see worse effects, especially those already hampered by conflict.

U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock told the Security Council there are 44 confirmed cases and four deaths in Syria, a country he said cannot be expected "to cope with a crisis that is challenging even the wealthiest nations."

In Yemen, health officials reported the country's first two coronavirus deaths, as well as a cluster of new cases in the southern port city of Aden that has been a focal point in a five-year civil war.

The number of COVID-19 cases worldwide stood at 3.2 million Thursday, with more than 230,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University statistics.