Chad suffering shortage of ventilators amid COVID-19

By Omer Erdem

KHARTOUM, Sudan (AA) - Chad is facing a severe shortage of medical equipment as it battles the novel coronavirus with the country possessing only 25 ventilators that were sent by Turkey.

Speaking during a session of parliament Monday, Health Minister Mahamoud Youssouf Khayal said there is not enough medical equipment in the country to fight the outbreak.

On May 26, a Turkish plane carrying medical supplies flew from Ankara to Chad to help the African nation with the coronavirus pandemic.

A total of 850 cases have been confirmed in the country so far with 73 fatalities.

Since first appearing in Wuhan, China last December, the novel coronavirus has spread to at least 188 countries and regions.

The US, Brazil and Russia are currently the hardest-hit in the world.

The pandemic has killed over 436,000 people worldwide, with more than 8 million confirmed cases and over 3.8 million recoveries, according to figures compiled by US-based Johns Hopkins University.