An additional 130 million people could be on the brink of starvation by the end of 2020 as a result of the outbreak and its economic ramifications.
While the world grapples with the coronavirus pandemic, the head of the United Nations food agency warned on Tuesday that a looming"hunger pandemic" will bring"the worst humanitarian crisis since World War II."
Before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, 821 million people experience chronic hunger while another 135 million people face"crisis levels of hunger or worse," Beasley said while quoting findings from the agency's new report on global food crises. As a result of the coronavirus outbreak and the subsequent economic ramifications, the food agency found an additional 130 million people could be on the brink of starvation by the end of the year. The working poor would be hit the hardest as a result of the decline in tourism and exports, collapse of oil prices and any declines to foreign aid.
"I must warn you that if we don't prepare and act now — to secure access, avoid funding shortfalls and disruptions to trade — we could be facing multiple famines of biblical proportions within a short few months," Beasley said.
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