Amazon chief executive officer Jeff Bezos and the director general of the World Health Organization are sharing knowledge about how to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, utilizing tools ranging from the arsenal of Amazon Web Services in cloud computing and artificial intelligence to the distribution platforms for test kits for the disease.
Bezos posted on Instagram to disclose that he had held a video conference with WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. In his post, Bezos outlined a series of measures in which the online retail giant is mobilizing to support WHO in its ongoing battle against the pandemic.
Bezos, who recently wrote a letter to his staff thanking them for their hard work and patience, added that he is "wholly focused" on the current global health crisis. He pointed out that the tech behemoth is supplying WHO with web resources, helping to map the pandemic and "supplying logistics support."
Amazon said earlier this month that its Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) service will be partially suspending its shipments until April 5. Recently the company also revealed it would recruit an extra 100,000 employees and increase their hourly wage to cope with the latest pandemic-related surge in demand.
Meanwhile, for the Seattle, Washington Coronavirus Assessment Network, which monitors the spread of the virus in the Seattle area, Amazon Care handles deliveries and pickups of at-home coronavirus test kits.
As of Friday, from 3,700 reported cases, the Washington Department of Health reported 175 people have died from the coronavirus. King County has the highest death toll at 125. In King County alone 1,760 confirmed cases of the coronavirus have been documented.
US President Donald Trump has signed into law an unprecedented $2.2 trillion economic stimulus plan, following Congress's swift and almost unanimous action this week. The package would benefit companies, rush money to overburdened health care facilities and aid families suffering through the worsening pandemic.
In the United Kingdom, Amazon has agreed to distribute millions of COVID-19 at-home assessments, beginning with healthcare professionals and then disseminating to the public at large.
Like many other Silicon Valley billionaires, Bezos has yet to make any public announcements regarding whether he is contributing any of his personal wealth to fight the sickness. Bezos remains the world's richest man, with a net worth of $120 billion.
As of Friday morning, there were more than 542,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including at least 85,000 in the United States, having surpassed Italy and China to become the world's most affected region in the world.
