Turkey sends 2nd batch of medical aid to virus-hit US

By Merve Aydogan

ANKARA (AA) - A Turkish military cargo plane carrying the second batch of medical supplies departed for the US on Thursday to deliver aid to its NATO ally battling the coronavirus outbreak.

"Second part of the medical aid supplies, prepared at the directions of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with the aim to help combat the COVID-19 outbreak, has departed Ankara onboard the Turkish Armed Forces aircraft," the Turkish Defense Ministry said on Twitter.

The aircraft was sent off to its destination by Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Yavuz Selim Kiran and US Ambassador to Ankara David Satterfield, along with Turkish and US military personnel.

First part of the medical aid supplies that included masks, face visors, N95 masks and overalls was sent on Tuesday.

Previously, Turkey sent medical aid to UK, Spain, Italy, Britain, Serbia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Libya and Somalia with aims to combat the pandemic.

Since first appearing in Wuhan, China last December, the novel coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, has spread to at least 185 countries and regions, with the US and Europe the hardest-hit areas.

More than 3.19 million cases have been reported worldwide, with the death toll surpassing 227,700 and more than 980,700 recoveries, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University in the US.