The world body also said in a risk report that nearly 369 million children across 143 countries who normally rely on school meals for a reliable source of daily nutrition have now been forced to look elsewhere. “We must act now on each of these threats to our children,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said. So far it has infected more than 2 million people – killing some 138,000 – in 213 countries and territories, according to a Reuters tally. The United Nations said an estimated 42 million to 66 million children could fall into extreme poverty as a result of the coronavirus crisis this year, adding to the estimated 386 million children already in extreme poverty in 2019. The UN report on children also said 188 countries have imposed countrywide school closures, affecting more than 1.5 billion children.

Source: The Express Tribune April 16, 2020 17:48 UTC