Coronavirus: UAE assists 47 countries and 523,000 medical professionals

Support in fight against Covid-19 includes 523 tonnes of food and medical aid and repatriation flights

Since early March, it has sent more than 716 tonnes of critical medical supplies to at least 63 countries WAM

The UAE has provided support in food, medical equipment and repatriation and evacuation flights to 47 countries since the end of January.

The assistance has benefited 523,000 medical professionals on the front lines in the fight against Covid-19.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation said the UAE had given China a shipment of masks and gloves, and co-ordinated two humanitarian flights to Iran with the WHO in March.

It flew out 80 South Korean citizens, sent medical equipment to Croatia after a devastating earthquake and sent food to Mauritania.

It also enabled the repatriation of 345 British tourists visiting the UAE.

On Tuesday, the UAE sent 7 tonnes of medical supplies to Belarus to assist 7,000 medical professionals.

Somalia, Ukraine, Italy, South Africa and the Philippines have also received assistance from the UAE.

The most recent aid shipment to Somalia, also on Tuesday, included more than 35 tonnes of life-saving equipment.

Last month, 33 tonnes of  medical  supplies sent to Ethiopia helped about 33,000 healthcare professionals.

The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases worldwide has passed 4.3 million, with more than 290,000 deaths. More than 1.5 million people have recovered.

Physical distancing and restrictive measures to help contain the outbreak have wreaked havoc on economies around the world.

The UN has issued a new appeal for $4.7 billion (Dh17.26bn) in funding to "protect millions of lives and stem the spread of coronavirus in fragile countries".