UN: Coronavirus crisis could nearly double global hunger this year.
The number of people facing acute food insecurity could almost double this year, to 265 million, according to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).
GENEVA (Reuters) The number of people facing acute food insecurity could almost double this year, to 265 million, due to the economic consequences of COVID-19, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said on Tuesday.
The impact of lost tourism revenue, falling remittances, and travel and other restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic is expected to leave around 130 million people severely hungry this year, bringing the total to approximately 135 million already in that category.
"COVID-19 is potentially catastrophic for millions who are already hanging by a thread," said Arif Husain, chief economist and director of research, evaluation and monitoring at the World Food Programme (WFP).