The first plane from China carrying 20 tons of medical equipment, including masks and protective suits to contend with the coronavirus outbreak, has touched down in Israel, the Defense Ministry said Monday.
Another plane was en route to Tel Aviv, the ministry said, with a third set to take off later in the day.
Eleven airplanes in all, containing millions of pieces of medical equipment, including ventilators, will arrive in Israel from China in the coming days, the Defense Ministry said Sunday.
The ministry said it coordinated the effort alongside the Foreign Ministry, El Al and Israel Chemicals.
Video from the plane showed boxes of equipment strapped into the planes seats.
he ministry said Sunday that the first flight would bring 900,000 surgical masks, half a million protective suits and other medical gear. Additional protective equipment will be coming in the coming days, alongside several ventilators.
Two El Al planes will fly to Israel from China each day through the rest of the week bringing more supplies, the ministry said.
The virus, which causes the COVID-19 disease, first spread at the end of last year in China, where it is known to have killed at least 3,300 people.
The air convoy is the latest in Israel’s efforts to bring much-needed supplies from abroad for use by medical staff in the campaign to treat patients infected with the virus, and prevent its further spread.
Last week, the Health Ministry said that security services and government ministries had managed to obtain 27 ventilators and a hoard of other medical equipment from abroad.
