Turkey sends aid to virus-hit Italy and Spain

By : AFP

Date: 1 April 2020 11:10am WAT

Employees of the Fatih Municipality wearing protective suits disinfect the Hagia Sophia to prevent the spread of the COVID-19, caused by the novel coronavirus, in Istanbul, on March 13, 2020. - Turkey announced on March 11, 2020 its first coronavirus case, a man who had recently travelled to Europe and is in good health. Turkey has announced several measures in recent weeks to try and stop the virus reaching the country, including thermal cameras at airports, cancelling flights to affected countries and closing its border with Iran. (Photo by Yasin AKGUL / AFP)

Turkey on Wednesday sent health supplies including masks to Italy and Spain, the two European countries worst hit by the novel coronavirus, the defence ministry said.

“Health supplies prepared to fight COVID-19 together, and with the hopes of seeing brighter days were sent en route to Spain and Italy” by a military plane, the ministry tweeted in English.

An accompanying video clip showed a Turkish military A-400M cargo plane preparing to take off.

The defence ministry posted the same message in Turkish, Spanish and Italian.

The supplies including masks, overalls and anti-bacterial fluids, produced in the defence ministry’s factories and sewing facilities.

Local resources were being sent “on the instructions of President” Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said the ministry statement.

The coronavirus pandemic has killed over 30,000 people in Europe, more than three-quarters of the deaths registered in Italy and Spain, according to an AFP tally at 0700 GMT Wednesday using official figures.

The most deaths were recorded in Italy, with 12,428 fatalities, followed by Spain with 8,189 and France with 3,523.

Turkey has so far recorded 214 deaths and 13,531 cases.