Facebook just pledged $20 million to fight COVID-19 outbreak
What's the story
As the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19, continues to grow worse around the world, Facebook is doing its part to help combat the pandemic.
The social media giant has launched a fundraiser with the World Health Organization (WHO) and pledged $20 million in donations to support the relief efforts going on for the outbreak.
Here's all you need to know about it.
Fund
Solidarity Response Fund with WHO and UNF
A few hours ago, Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg announced that the social network is launching a COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund in conjunction with the United Nations Foundation (UNF) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
He stated that the fund is open to anyone who wants to donate and help with the coronavirus relief efforts led by the two organizations.
Contribution
Facebook to match donations up to $20 million
In the same message, Zuckerberg said that Facebook will match up to $10 million in donations and pledge an additional $10 million for the CDC Foundation's upcoming fundraiser.
He emphasized that the WHO donation will be used to "support the work to prevent, detect and respond to the outbreak" worldwide while the CDC fund will be used for relief efforts in the US.
More steps
More steps to be announced 'soon'
Zuckerberg thanked everyone who is helping to curb the impact of the outbreak and said, "More to come soon," which seemingly indicates that the company could announce more measures in the near future.
Notably, Facebook has already asked most, if not all, of its employees in the San Francisco Bay Area to work from home due to infectious disease.
Other donations
Other tech companies have also donated for COVID-19 relief
The donation adds Facebook's name to the list of big tech companies contributing to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
Until now, Amazon and Microsoft have committed $1 million each to fight the disease, while Google.org and Google employees have donated over $6.5 million, while Apple's donations - including employee contributions - have gone past the $15 million mark.