Friday, July 11, 2025

Chinese foundations donate 50,000 virus test kits, 100,000 face masks

Foundations in China have donated 50,000 coronavirus testing kits to Mexico as the number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 rises to over 1,200.

The donations arrived at the Mexico City International Airport early Tuesday morning.

The Chinese Cultural Center in Mexico said in a statement that it had also received 100,000 face masks and five ventilators from the Jack Ma Foundation, a charitable organization founded by the owner of Chinese online retail giant Alibaba.

“In these times when the Covid-19 pandemic is spreading across the globe, Chinese companies have generously donated some supplies to Mexico, a gesture that has been recognized by the Mexican community,” the cultural center said.

As of Wednesday, Covid-19 had claimed 29 lives in Mexico and the number of confirmed cases had risen to 1,215.

The donated supplies were received by representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Health, as well as Mexican customs.

Testing for Covid-19 has seen a number of pitfalls during the pandemic. Some hospital chains were reported to be charging 6,000-10,000 pesos (US $246-$410) for coronavirus tests earlier in March. Last week, a private lab in Oaxaca was shut down for price gouging and selling phony tests.

Both medical staff and potential patients have called attention to and taken action to correct a lack of supplies in hospitals around the country.

Hospital staff in several México state cities protested on Monday to demand supplies, and citizens in Morelos threatened to burn their hospital down on Tuesday if takes on Covid-19 patients, claiming that it is unprepared to deal with such a crisis.

Meanwhile, in Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the global pandemic, life has taken the first steps toward returning to normality. Businesses there began to reopen on Monday, but to a wary and small group of clientele.

Authorities have begun to lift restrictions that kept tens of millions of people isolated in their homes for two months.

“I’m so excited I could cry,” said one woman in a popular shopping mall.

Some 70-80% of businesses reopened in Wuhan on Monday, many putting limits on how many customers can enter at a time.

Sources: El Financiero (sp), Milenio (sp)

Have something to say? Paid Subscribers get all access to make & read comments.
A small plane flies over the ocean

How the Mexican security minister’s slip of the tongue rankled Salvadoran President Bukele

2
President Bukele took exception after García Harfuch's identified a drug-smuggling plane as coming from El Salvador.
gold bars

Highway robbery near Guadalajara nets 6 million pesos worth of gold and silver

0
Such open-road heists have risen in frequency recently and could pose a threat to potential investors otherwise attracted by nearshoring opportunities.
Security chief Omar García Harfuch, Attorney General Gertz and other Mexian officials sit on a stage in front of a banner reading "National Strategy against Extortion" in spanish

Authorities launch national strategy against extortion to tackle a pernicious and widespread crime

1
The strategy contemplates new laws that would force states to investigate the crime, even when victims are too afraid to make an official report.
BETA Version - Powered by Perplexity