Turkey exports COVID-19 test kits to over 50 countries

By Enes Duran

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey is exporting novel coronavirus testing kits to more than 50 countries and facing no problems in production capacity, a senior official has said.

Underlining that testing kits were some of the most critical elements in responding to the pandemic, Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank told a radio program late on Tuesday that Turkey had the necessary infrastructure to produce microbiological testing machines.

He noted that the private sector was working on test kit production and that the kits used by the Ministry of Health were developed by a local company.

He added that 13 companies were in contact with the ministry to produce test kits and have been exporting them abroad.

On washable face masks, Varank explained that there was a need to establish production standards so that cloth masks could be used safely.

"We've announced standards on bacterial filtration efficiency, breathability rates and microbial cleaning levels that determine all items related to the design, fabric and protection of the mask," he said.

Varank urged people to take care that face masks adhered to current standards when purchasing them, suggesting that producers could introduce a marker that indicated their products complied with the criteria.

About 800 companies are producing surgical masks in Turkey, with the current total output capacity at 40 million masks per day.

*Written by Aysu Bicer from Ankara