HONG KONG (SE): The Global Times reported on February 3 that the Vatican shipped between 600,000 to 700,000 face masks to China on January 27 in a demonstration of the Holy See’s support and concern in the face of the challenge presented by the contagion of the Wuhan Novel corornavirus 2019-nCoV.
Father Vincenzo Han Duo, a vice rector of The Pontifical Urban College, who oversaw the donations and the delivery, explained that Konrad Cardinal Krajewski, the papal almoner, had expressed a wish to help China in its fight against the and that the Vatican Pharmacy and Chinese Christian communities in Italy had lent their support
Father Han told the Global Times that the Holy See and local Chinese Christian groups paid for the masks, which were then collected by the Vatican Pharmacy from regions throughout Italy.
“Shipping in Italy is usually slow, so the Vatican Pharmacy used its own vehicles to send the masks to Rome directly,” Han said.
On the first day, they managed to collect more than 100,000 masks.
Airline companies, including China Southern Airlines, provided free shipment.
Upon arriving in China, the masks are to be sent to Hubei province, the centre of the ongoing outbreak, as well as Zhejiang and Fujian provinces.
“I hope the supplies could reach where they are needed as soon as possible, so that people who are suffering the disease could feel the concern from the Holy See. The whole world is standing together to fight the virus,” said Father Han.
