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Coronavirus pandemic

Alibaba and Jack Ma's foundation deliver coronavirus supplies to Russia

The special cargo included medical masks, tests for coronavirus, protective clothing

© AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File

MOSCOW, March 25. /TASS/. Jack Ma's charitable foundation and his China-based company's foundation, the Alibaba Foundation, delivered a cargo of medical goods to Russia to combat the coronavirus pandemic, the Alibaba Foundation said.

According to the statement, the charter flight arrived in Moscow from Hangzhou on March 24. The special cargo included medical masks, tests for coronavirus, protective clothing. Logistics company Cainiao Network (Alibaba Group) coordinated and prepared the delivery, and collected the cargo.

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The delivery to Russia was organized by funds as part of efforts to help countries and regions affected by the COVID-19 epidemic. These initiatives include the supply of various types of medicine to China, Southeast Asia, the USA, EU countries (Italy, Belgium, France, Slovenia, Spain), as well as to Africa. The funds finance research and development of the coronavirus treatment in China, Australia, and Columbia University. The funds have also published a training brochure with details on combatting coronavirus based on studies from Chinese universities and medical organizations.

In February 2020, Russian partners of the Jack Ma Foundation, including a clinic network and an insurance company, helped organize the urgent delivery of necessary medical supplies to China to combat the COVID-19 epidemic in Wuhan.

In late December 2019, Chinese authorities notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, central China. Since then, cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in more than 150 countries, including Russia.

On March 11, the WHO declared the outbreak of a global pandemic. As of now, over 400,000 people have been infected around the world and about 18,000 have died. Russia has identified 495 cases so far. The Russian government has launched an Internet hotline to keep the country’s people informed about the coronavirus situation.

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