ANKARA

Turkey’s state-run aid agency on Thursday sent medical supplies to Algeria to help the North African country amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) sent 30,000 protective masks to health workers in Algiers and Oran cities to assist their fight against the outbreak, according to a statement by the agency.

The masks were delivered to the Algerian Central Pharmacy of Health Ministry.

As the country faces difficulty in proving protective masks and suits, Algerian officials expressed their gratitude to TIKA and Turkey for the aid.

Since first appearing in China last December, the novel coronavirus has spread to at least 187 countries and regions, with the US and Europe the hardest-hit areas.

The pandemic has killed over 264,400 worldwide, with the number of infections more than 3.77 million and recoveries surpassing 1.25 million, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University of the US.

* Writing by Merve Aydogan