BANGKOK -- The East Asia and Pacific region faces a rapidly growing class of "new COVID poor" despite relative success in containing the pandemic, according to the World Bank.
Strict lockdown measures and external factors including the collapse of tourism and weak demand for the region's exports are sinking 38 million people below the poverty line of $5.50 a day and driving a 3.5% contraction in 2020 throughout 13 developing economies.
