China's envoy touts 50,000 masks donated to Gujarat; netizens not convinced by 'publicity'

A tweet by the Chinese Ambassador to India about 50 thousand masks donated by China’s Guangdong Province to the Indian state of Gujarat has sparked mixed reactions on the microblogging site Twitter. Under global speculation that China has been selling the donated exports of ventilators, surgical masks, and personal protective gear to countries such as Italy, some commenters lashed out.  

The tweet garnered over 964 likes and was shared 182 times. An aggravated user wrote in the comments section saying, “Return the masks to China”. While another wrote, “Thank you, I am from Gujarat. Let's beat this virus,” lauding the country’s initiative. The medics in the frontline have reported that due to the onslaught of the patients in the recent past, protective masks and other personal protective equipment have to be reused to account for the critical shortage. According to media reports, thousands of medical equipment and test kits sold by China to Europe at marked-up prices were returned as “defective”.

Read: US Tiger Testing Coronavirus Positive Prompts Preventive Measures In Several Zoos

Read: 'ThankYou Coronavirus Helpers' - Google Honours Public Health Workers And Researchers

N95 Counterfeits

More recently, in another challenge, N95 counterfeit respiratory masks advertised as "certified by U.S. safety regulators" were pulled down from websites in India. The Valpro Ranger 821 and 821V masks were being promoted on Midas Safety websites across eight countries, including China, as per the media reports.   

Read: Coronavirus UK: Police Speak To Wayne Rooney For Meeting Kyle Walker During Lockdown

Read: Coronavirus: 65-year-old Woman Tests Positive In Maha's Jalna