The first airlift of rapid COVID-19 testing kits, lung ventilators and other medical supplies is on its way to Ukraine from Guangzhou, China, Servant of the People lawmaker Andriy Motovylovets announced on March 21.
China is sending a total of 10 million high-precision lab tests, 400,000 COVID-19 express testing kits, 10 lung ventilators, one million face masks, disinfectant fluid and other equipment to help Ukraine treat and contain the spread of the novel coronavirus epidemic, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address on March 20.
The second airlift is expected next week.
“We will do our best to provide every citizen of Ukraine with personal protective equipment, rapid tests, disinfectants,” Zelensky stated.
He added that these test kits will be supplied to hospitals and some will be delivered directly to the front lines for Ukrainian servicemembers.
The Ukrainian Il-76 cargo plane arrived in Guangzhou on March 21 and will return to the Boryspil International Airport in Kyiv on March 22.
Zelensky thanked Jack Ma, the co-founder of Chinese tech company Alibaba, for allocating $80 million to make the airlift possible. Ukrainian businessman Oleksandr Yaroslavsky, the owner of DCH Group, also contributed $2 million and helped arrange the delivery.
China also agreed to hold a TV link to allow Chinese doctors to share their experience fighting against COVID-19 with their Ukrainian counterparts, Prime Minister Denys Shmygal announced on March 21.
The link is preliminarily scheduled for Tuesday, Shmyhal said.
According to the World Health Organization, China showed signs of success in controlling the outbreak as no new COVID-19 cases have been reported for a third consecutive day.
The rate of infection in China has been slowing for weeks as Europe experiences its sharpest increase in the coronavirus cases.
China’s death toll – now at 3,255 was overtaken by Italy, where nearly 4,032 people died from COVID-19, including three Ukrainians.
In Ukraine, 42 COVID-19 cases and three fatalities have been confirmed as of March 21.
CORONAVIRUS IN UKRAINE: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- There have been 42 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ukraine. The first case was identified on March 3.
- Three people have died from COVID-19 in Ukraine. One person recovered.
- Three Ukrainians died from COVID-19 in Italy.
- How the Ukrainian government has been responding: TIMELINE
- To fight the spread of the virus, Ukraine shut down public transportation, domestic travel, restaurants.
- Kyiv went into quarantine, shutting down everything by supermarkets, pharmacies, banks, gas stations.
- Ukrainian lawmaker tested positive for COVID-19.
- Misinformation on coronavirus is going viral in Ukraine.
- Why the Kyiv Post isn’t making its coverage free in the times of COVID-19.
- Doctor’s advice: How to stay safe.
- Foreign Ministry: What you need to know about traveling to and from Ukraine now
Effects on economy:
- Here’s what the virus is doing to Ukraine’s economy.
- Ukrainian businesses respond to the crisis.
- The virus disrupts the transport sector. Ukrainian airlines canceled some flights to 16 countries due to the novel coronavirus.
- The National Bank of Ukraine continued to cut the policy rate while trying to buffer the hryvnia from coronavirus panic.
- The former minister of economy says half a million Ukrainians may lose their jobs in the COVID-19 crisis.
