Workers unload emergency medical supplies provided by Chinese government at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 26, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Chuntao)
A large consignment of emergency medical supplies provided by the Chinese government to the Bangladeshi government after Dhaka's urgent request arrived on Thursday afternoon at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on a special Chinese flight.
The aid consists of 10,000 testing reagents, 15,000 surgical masks, 10,000 medical protective clothing and 1,000 infrared thermometers, according to a release issued by the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka.
Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming handed over the emergency medical supplies to the Bangladeshi government officials at the airport.
"Counting from the day we received the request letter from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of the Bangladesh government on March 15th, it takes only 12 days for all these most urgently needed medical logistics to arrive in Dhaka now, the speed of China emergency aid project has definitely made a record and nothing could be better," Li said.
According to an Embassy official, this is the second batch of the Chinese supplies, as about 500 COVID-19 test reagents were delivered to Bangladesh earlier on an urgent basis.
Also a part of medical supply for Bangladesh promised by China's Jack Ma Foundation is expected to reach Dhaka this Saturday and Sunday.
Bangladesh is reportedly in dire need for such medical supplies as the entire COVID-19 situation escalates in the country.
On Thursday, five more people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Bangladesh, making it 44 total confirmed cases in the country.
"The number of cases increased to 44, with five more cases reported in the last 24 hours," said Meerjady Sabrina Flora, head of the country's Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) under the Health Ministry, at a press conference through online.
Of the total cases in the country, she said, "We've recorded five deaths so far while 11 patients have recovered."
Bangladesh on Wednesday announced the country's fifth death related to the COVID-19.
