Google is using resources from the World Health Organization to show people the safety tips and news and updates about the mysterious virus.
"Today we launched an SOS Alert w/ @WHO, to make resources about #coronavirus easily accessible. When people search for related info on @Google, they'll find the alert atop results page w/ direct access to safety tips, info, resources & Twitter updates from WHO," Google said in a statement on Friday.
In a bid to support coronavirus relief efforts in China, Google's philanthropic arm, Google.org, also announced a $250,000 direct grant to the Chinese Red Cross.
"To help support relief efforts, @Googleorg issued a $250,000 direct grant to the Chinese Red Cross. Additionally we launched an internal campaign inviting Googlers to donate. So far, http://Google.org and Googlers have raised over $800K USD (3.5M rmb)," Google said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the new coronavirus outbreak a global health emergency after the death toll in China increased to 213 on Friday, with 9,692 cases confirmed in the country's 31 provincial-level regions.
As 98 confirmed cases were reported from 18 countries, outside China, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the WHO, told the media on Thursday night: "I am declaring a public health emergency of international concern over the global outbreak of 2019nCoV, not because of what is happening in China, but because of what is happening in other countries."
( With inputs from IANS )