The first shipment of emergency medical supplies from China has arrived in the Maldives.
Chinese Ambassador to the Maldives, Zhang Lizhong said the first batch of supplies arrived at the archipelago on Friday.
Following the detection of COVID-19 in the Maldives, the government of Maldives has requested for Chinese assistance to manage the situation. Ambassador Zhang had earlier assured that China would assist Maldives, acknowledging that the Maldives had supported China during its time of distress, and that China would reciprocate the support.
COVID-19 was first detected in China, and 81,340 people tested positive for the virus in the country. However, the pandemic now appears to be in control in China, and the country is sharing their expertise on the subject and providing assistance to other affected countries.
14 people have tested positive for the virus in the Maldives thus far. While 13 out of the 14 infected patients are foreigners, the government on Friday confirmed the country's first local case. 9 people have recovered from the illness, and the number of active cases is 5.
