UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock has called on G20 nations to act now or face a series of human tragedies more brutal and destructive than the direct health impacts of the coronavirus as he released an updated $10.3 billion appeal to fight the pandemic in low-income and fragile countries.

With the funding of $10 billion, the Covid-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan, the international community’s primary fundraising vehicle to respond to the humanitarian impacts of the virus, will support 63 vulnerable countries and cover the global transport system necessary to deliver the relief.

“Rich countries have thrown out the rulebook when it comes to protecting their own economies. They must apply the same exceptional measures to countries that need help. The prospect of cascading crises more brutal and destructive than anything the virus alone can do must jolt us all out of our comfort zone,” Lowcock said.