Coronavirus outbreak: Mitigation measures

Coronavirus: Singapore Red Cross launches appeal for donations

A worker wearing a protective face mask sweeps a street in Wuhan on Jan 25, 2020. The Singapore Red Cross is making a public appeal for funds to aid the communities in China affected by the coronavirus outbreak that originated in Wuhan. PHOTO: AFP

The Singapore Red Cross (SRC) is making a public appeal, to which the Government is contributing $1 million in seed money, for funds to aid the communities in China affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

The charity said yesterday all donations will be used to deliver assistance and support communities in China which are affected or at risk of being affected by the virus, which was first reported in Wuhan.

Along with the seed money, the Government will also contribute medicine, medical supplies and diagnostic test kits for the coronavirus for use in laboratories, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said last night.

SRC said at this point, it is focused on assisting the communities worst affected in China.

Yesterday, a two-man team from SRC headed to the Asia-Pacific office of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Kuala Lumpur to discuss broad strategies and the areas where SRC could provide support.

Another person will join the team in Kuala Lumpur to support response efforts for the next few weeks. SRC will also be deploying another person to Beijing to work directly with the international response team there.

SRC has also been engaging communities here to promote behaviour that reduces the risk of contracting or transmitting the virus.

Volunteers are providing advice to beneficiaries to help prevent misinformation, rumours and panic.

The Singapore Business Federation yesterday lauded these efforts and said it will rally its members and the Singapore business community to contribute.

The public can make donations via several platforms. Make them online at the Red Cross website or visit the Red Cross House at 15 Penang Lane when giving cash.

Cheques should be made payable to "Singapore Red Cross Society", with the donor's name, postal address and "Coronavirus Response 2020" written on the back.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on February 05, 2020, with the headline Coronavirus: Singapore Red Cross launches appeal for donations. Subscribe