Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid, on Saturday, expressed the government’s immense gratitude towards China for their assistance in Maldives’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In his statement, the minister thanked China for providing timely, free aid to the Maldives at the country’s time of need.
Minister Shahid made particular mention of the ventilators gifted by the Alibaba Foundation.
Till date, China has collectively donated the following anti-pandemic materials to the Maldives:
– 209,080 disposable protective masks
– 11,500 N95 protective masks
– 20,000 KN95 protective masks
– 50 infrared thermometers
– 500 goggles
– 350 medical protective suits
– 20 care beds
– 10,000 testing kits
– 10 ventilators
– 10,000 sampling sticks
– 10,000 detection reagent extractants
The donations came from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, The People’s Government of Guangxi Zhuan Autonomous Region, China Merchants Port Group Co. Ltd, Alibaba Foundation, China Machinery Engineering Corporation, Beijing Urban Construction Investment and Development Co. Ltd, Dongfang Electric International Corporation, China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd and Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.
Thanking the aforementioned companies, Shahid especially highlighted Beijing Urban Construction Investment and Development Co. Ltd and China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd for their ongoing efforts in constructing the emergency centres announced by the government as part of the COVID-19 response.
Appreciating the help offered by China during these trying times, the minister named the Chinese President Xi Jinping, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and the Chinese Ambassador to the Maldives Zhang Lizhong, thanking them for their kind consideration towards the Maldives, despite the toll of the COVID-19 pandemic on China.
Noting that the world was currently seeing an unprecedented pandemic and Maldivian economy, largely dependent on the tourism sector, had taken a severe blow, Shahid noted that the Maldives had changed from a developing nation to one without any income.
“However, Maldives has the conviction, courage and steadfastness to overcome this difficult period with our friends in the international community”, he said, concluding his statement.
The epicentre of the COVID-19 outbreak was Wuhan City in China. Since the virus was first detected in December 2019, it has infected 82,875 individuals in China alone, of which 77,685 have now recovered. The death toll for the country now stands at 4,633.
The Maldives currently records 514 confirmed, 494 active cases of COVID-19 and a total of 17 recoveries. The country recorded its first virus death, an 83-year-old local female, on Wednesday evening.
Following the first confirmed local transmission on April 15, Malé has recorded a significant increase in COVID-19 cases. The city is one of the most densely populated areas in the world.
In addition to the capital, COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in Uligan in Haa Alif Atoll, Narudhoo and Milandhoo in Shaviyani Atoll, and Thulusdhoo in Kaafu Atoll.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified the spread of COVID-19 as a global pandemic. The new strain of novel coronavirus has infected over 3.4 million people and claimed over 240,498 lives around the world. However, out of those infected, more than a million people have recovered.
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Source URL: Google News
