The first wave of the coronavirus prevention materials donated by China’s billionaire trader, Jack Ma, have arrived in Ethiopia.
Ethiopian Prime Minister on Sunday, March 22, confirmed that the support materials from the Chinese billionaire include 1.1 million testing kits, 6 million masks and 60,000 protective suits.
Jack Ma, who is Asia’s richest man and founder of Alibaba, pledged the materials to all African countries to help the continent in its fight against coronavirus.
The Chinese philanthropist said his Foundation would work with local medical institutions on the continent to provide online training material for coronavirus clinical treatments.
“The world cannot afford the unthinkable consequences of a COVID-19 pandemic in Africa,” he said in a statement issued on March 16, 2020.
Distribution for the coronavirus support materials will begin on Monday, March 23, Ethiopian PM Ahmed said.
Lockdowns have started in Africa as coronavirus cases have risen above 1,000.
On Saturday, Nigeria announced that it is closing its airports to all incoming international flights for 30 days.
Forty-two of Africa’s 54 countries are affected by the coronavirus, with Congo and Ghana having reported their first Covid-19 deaths.
Egypt and South Africa have the highest coronavirus cases in Africa with 294 and 240 cases respectively.
Egypt has the highest number of coronavirus deaths with 10.
