Turkey has helped 80 countries battle coronavirus

Turkey has sent medical aid to 80 countries to fight the novel coronavirus, the country’s vice president said Thursday.    “We have had the opportunity to help 80 countries that have asked us for help so far,” Fuat Oktay said in an interview with online channel Yozgat Camlik TV.   The main demand from these countries was face masks, gloves and respirators, Oktay said.   He said two-thirds of the countries in the world, or close to 70%, had requested assistance from Turkey.    Turkey currently has 144,749 confirmed coronavirus cases and the death toll stands at 4,007.  

After originating in Wuhan, China last December, COVID-19 has spread to at least 188 countries and regions, with Europe and the US currently the worst hit.  The pandemic has killed more than 302,000 people worldwide with more than 4.4 million confirmed cases, while recoveries have surpassed 1.58 million, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University of the US.