COVID-19:Medical supplies from China arrive in Istanbul

By Izzet Taskiran

ISTANBUL (AA) - Dozens of packages filled with medical supplies from China arrived in Istanbul to assist Turkey in its fight against the novel coronavirus, a Chinese official said on Thursday.

Among the medical supplies are face masks as well as protective gear, said a Twitter post by the spokesperson of China’s Consulate General in Istanbul.

Bank of China’s Turkey branch delivered 44 packages of medical equipment to Istanbul Provincial Health Directorate on Wednesday upon China’s Consul General in Istanbul Cui Wei’s guidance, the post read.

In Turkey, COVID-19 has so far claimed 59 lives, while 2,433 have tested positive.

After first appearing in Wuhan, China, last December, the novel coronavirus has spread to at least 175 countries and territories. The World Health Organization has declared the coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic.

The number of confirmed cases worldwide has now surpassed 487,000 while the death toll has crossed 22,000 and nearly 118,000 have recovered, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University in the U.S.

Italy, China, Iran, and Spain continue to be the countries hardest hit.

Despite the rising number of cases, most who contract the virus suffer only mild symptoms before making a recovery.