Amazon teams up with Bill Gates-backed group to deliver coronavirus test kits
(Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc is partnering with a research program funded by Bill Gates to pick up and deliver coronavirus test kits in Seattle, the e-commerce giant said on Monday.

(Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc
The Seattle Coronavirus Assessment Network, a group of medical, public health and research organizations, is collecting nasal swabs from a sample of people across King County and Seattle to learn how the infection is spreading in the areas.
King Country, part of Washington state, is one of the worst hit places by the outbreak in the United States.
Amazon Care, the e-commerce giant's arm that provide medical care to employees, along with other delivery partners will provide infrastructure and logistics services to the effort, according to SCAN's website.
United Parcel Service
CNBC first reported about the move, which Amazon said is limited to Amazon Care and does not involve its broader delivery network.
(Reporting by Munsif Vengattil in Bengaluru and Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles; Editing by Maju Samuel)
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
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