Turkey sends masks to Tajikistan amid pandemic

By Bahtiyar Abdulkerimov

ANKARA (AA) – Turkey on Tuesday sent masks to Tajikistan to help fight the coronavirus pandemic.

The Turkish Red Crescent delivered 50,000 medical items, Turkey's Embassy to the Central Asian country said in a statement.

Some 200 Tajik citizens stranded in Turkey were also brought back to their country, the statement added.

Turkey has helped at least 82 countries with humanitarian aid during the outbreak, including Italy, Spain, and the UK, making it the world's third-largest provider of aid during the pandemic.

After originating in China last December, COVID-19 has spread to at least 188 countries and regions. Europe and the US are currently the worst-hit areas.

The pandemic has killed nearly 347,000 people worldwide with over 5.5 million confirmed cases, while recoveries have surpassed 2.25 million.

*Writing by Erdogan Cagatay Zontur