ADB earmarks $2 million for new China virus

BEIJING — The Asian Development Bank said Friday it will distribute $2 million to strengthen measures to detect and respond to the novel coronavirus in China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The bank said the money will pay for diagnostic and laboratory equipment and for improved outbreak surveillance and response, especially in rural areas.

The viral outbreak that began in China’s central Hubei province has infected more than 31,400 people worldwide. China confirmed 31,161 cases and 636 deaths as of Friday, February 7. More than 310 cases have been confirmed outside mainland China, including two deaths in Hong Kong and the Philippines.