Forced apart by the coronavirus pandemic, Southeast Asian leaders linked up by video today to plot a strategy to overcome a crisis that has threatened their economies and kept millions of people in their homes under lockdowns. Diplomats say that unity is now crucial as the region battles the virus disease. The World Health Organization called on Southeast Asian countries last month to aggressively ramp up efforts to combat the viral outbreak as infections spread. Several visiting participants of a large religious gathering in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in late February reportedly tested positive for the virus after attending the event. The overall economic impact of the pandemic on the region will ``likely be broad and deep,'' according to an ASEAN assessment.-AP

Source: The Standard April 14, 2020 09:45 UTC