The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) stands with the billions of people suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic. The immediate priority is to protect them. But UNEP also has a duty to help nations build back better after the pandemic to increase resilience to future crises.

The scientists at ICMR-NIV, Pune have developed and validated the completely indigenous IgG ELISA test for antibody detection for SARS-CoV-2. On external validation, the IgG test kit produced by ICMR-NIV, Pune has been found to have sensitivity and specificity of 98.7% and 100% respectively. ELISA test has the advantage of processing 90 samples together in a single run of two-and-a-half hours. Moreover, ELISA based testing is easily possible even at district level as the ELISA kit has inactivated virus.

As of early May 2020, there are more than 3.5 million infected cases and 247 thousand dead of COVID-19 in the world. The world has spared no effort to contain COVID 19 since its initial emergence from the epicenter since last December in 2019.

Although the COVID-19 crisis is, in the first instance, a physical health crisis, it has the seeds of a major mental health crisis as well, if action is not taken. Good mental health is critical to the functioning of society at the best of times. It must be front and centre of every country’s response to and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The United Nations Network on Migration is concerned by reports of States in many regions using forced return of migrants as a measure in response to COVID-19.

This report presents a snapshot of some of the latest information available on how COVID-19 is affecting the world today. Although a wide range of topics are covered in this report, a consistency of message is clear – this is an unprecedented crisis, and no aspect of our lives is immune.

While the COVID-19 pandemic will increase mortality due to the virus, it is also likely to increase mortality indirectly. This study estimates the additional maternal and under-5 child deaths resulting from the potential disruption of health systems and decreased access to food.

UNICEF is appealing for US$1.6 billion to support its humanitarian response for children impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, up from $651.6 million requested in a similar appeal late March. This increase reflects the devastating socioeconomic consequences of the disease and families' rising needs.

This policy brief makes a case for protecting science, technology and innovation (STI) budgets during the COVID-19 crisis and its aftermath, based on the fact that continued investments in STI will be critical to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The deaths of those with negative or inconclusive test results but with symptoms of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) will be recorded as probable Covid-19 deaths, the Indian Council of Medical Research said in fresh guidelines on recording Covid-19 deaths released on 10 May, 2020.

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