Vietnam donates 550,000 masks to EU countries in coronavirus fight

Vietnam donated 550,000 face masks to five European countries on Tuesday to support their fight against the coronavirus that has killed more than 75,000 people worldwide.

The masks, made of antimicrobial fabric, were handed to the ambassadors of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Britain in Hanoi, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Vietnam, which has reported 245 coronavirus cases, with no deaths, said it has also donated masks and other medical equipment to other countries, including China, Cambodia, and Laos.

The Southeast Asian country last week asked its mask producers to step up their production to make 5 million masks a day.