TEHRAN – Some Chinese travelers who have previously visited Iran have announced readiness to donate up to 100,000 face masks to help the country in fight against the novel coronavirus, known as COVID-19.

“A number of Chinese tourists, who have traveled to Iran over recent months, have announced their readiness to donate 100,000 face masks to Iran,” CHTN quoted tourism minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan as saying on Monday.

“We [the tourism ministry] and Iran Federation of Tourist Guide Associations are cooperating to transfer the masks by an airline to the ministry,” he said.

Last week, China delivered 250,000 face masks and 5,000 COVID-19 diagnostic kits to Iran.

Some 5,000 coronavirus test kits, a gift from the Chinese embassy and Chinese companies in Iran, was delivered to the Iranian side, China’s Ambassador to Iran Chang Hua wrote on his Twitter account, adding that “our efforts will continue.”

So far, 1501 people in Iran have been infected with the virus, of whom 66 died.

The death toll in China, where the virus originated, is nearing 2,800 and the country has almost 79,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Outside mainland China, the virus has spread to more than 45 countries, claiming an excess of 50 lives and infecting north of 3,000 people.

The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak an international health emergency

AFM/MG