Coronavirus epidemic: Pakistan steps in with medical supplies for China

BEIJING: The medical supplies from Pakistan for Wuhan, the Chinese city hit by a novel coronavirus outbreak, have arrived in China.

300,000 medical masks, 800 hazmat suits and 6,800 pairs of gloves were allocated to be transported to China.

A number of other countries, including Russia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Austria, Australia, Algeria, Iran and Turkey have also offered donations of anti-epidemic medical supplies to help China contain the deadly disease.

Also Read: Coronavirus outbreak: ‘Pakistan’s no-evacuation decision vote of confidence for China’

Reports say South Korea offered large amounts of medical and anti-epidemic materials to China, including two million face masks, one million medical masks, 100,000 hazmat suits and 100,000 pairs of goggles.

These supplies are being transported to the virus-hit central Chinese city of Wuhan in shipments.

In a telephonic conversation with his Chinese counterpart on Friday, FM Qureshi had expressed Pakistan’s readiness to do its best to help China overcome this challenge. He said Pakistan will be sending a military aircraft carrying assistance supplies to China soon and that the people of Pakistan stand by the brotherly Chinese people during this difficult time.

Also Read: Two Pakistanis return from virus-hit China after clearance

Qureshi said, while the world has lauded China’s timely and effective response, some elements are trying to create panic, which Pakistan strongly opposes, adding the government of Pakistan trusts that China is fully capable of ensuring safety and health of foreign nationals in China.