COVID-19 crisis: Germany donates 60 ventilators to UK to help battle pandemic

German is reportedly donating approximately 60 ventilators to the United Kingdom in a bid to fight against the deadly coronavirus pandemic. As the UK has more than 73,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, the Germany Embassy confirmed that they will be lending a helping hand to the British government. While speaking to an international media outlet, a German government official said that the country’s armed forces would donate mobile ventilators completely free of charge to support the national effort. 

As the British government is trying to equip the NHS with the resources it desperately needs, the donation from the German forces will add to the 480 ventilators that have bee already shipped to the UK from China, US, Sweden and Taiwan. In a bid to help the UK with personal protective equipment (PPE), Turkey has also begun sending planeloads of emergency medical equipment. According to the media outlet, the first flight with PPE has already left Ankara and the second flight is due later this week. 

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‘Too early’ to end lockdown

Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, said it’s ‘too early’ to think about ending the lockdown. The initial lockdown of UK ends on April 13, however, with nearly 8,958 fatalities and British Prime Minister contracting the deadly disease, the government might announce an extension. Britain is bracing itself for more deaths from the novel virus in the upcoming weeks. 

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The UK government also assured all social care and NHS staff that the country has the capacity for them to get testing they need for COVID-19. While addressing the daily coronavirus briefing, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said, “We have the capacity for all key social care staff and NHS staff who need to get tested to get those tests”. He further also urged citizens to stay at home and resist the desire to go outside during the Easter weekend. 

Coronavirus, which originated in China in December 2019, has now claimed over one lakh lives worldwide as of April 11. According to the tally by an international news agency, the pandemic has now spread to 210 countries and territories and has infected more than 1.7 million people. Out of the total infections, more than 376,000 have recovered but the easily spread virus is continuing to disrupt many lives. Major cities have been put under lockdown in almost all countries including Spain, and the economy is struggling. 

(Image source: AP) 

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