"Azerbaijan has taken timely and necessary preventive measures to stop the spread of the virus. We have taken adequate actions in response to the emerging situation concerning coronavirus," President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said during a speech at a Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly in response to COVID-19 pandemic at the Level of the Heads of State and Government held in New York, on December 3.
"Today, the coronavirus patients are undergoing treatment in 46 state hospitals across the country. We had six functional laboratories when the pandemic has started. Currently, we have more than 40 operational laboratories. The Government has released the socio-economic and financial support package worth over 2.5 billion US dollars to counter the pandemic's negative impact. The social support measures cover nearly 5 million people, which is half of the country's population. Funding for the fight against the pandemic was provided only from domestic sources, without external financial support."