THE British Red Cross has announced that the world is suffering a collective, colossal loss due to Covid-19.

As the official death toll hits one million, which has resulted in a total of 162 Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies responding to the pandemic globally, Alexander Matheou, executive director of international at the charity has stated that no one has ‘escaped the devastating effects' of this virus.

He said: "Many have lost loved ones or know someone who has.

"Many more have lost jobs, struggled to pay the bills or been unable to buy enough food.

"Everyone has lost a piece of ‘life as we knew it’.

“From the UK, to Yemen, to the refugee camps of Bangladesh, this virus has not discriminated.

"But if we have gained anything from this virus, it is the certainty that we are more connected than we ever imagined.

"We must continue to have the hope that, if we all pull together, we can turn the tide of the pandemic, support the most vulnerable through this crisis and learn lessons about how we can better protect each other and our environment in the future.

"The safety of each individual is critical for the safety of the entire world and sadly, we know all too well that the least protected will be the most affected.

"We must continue to stand together to ensure that no one is left behind."

To support the British Red Cross Global Coronavirus Appeal, visit https://donate.redcross.org.uk/