The Netherlands recalled roughly 600,00 masks from China out of a shipment of 1.3 million after an inspection determined that they have defective filters or fail to adequately protect the face.
The masks had already been distributed to several hospitals to help health workers deal with the pandemic that has now resulted in roughly 9,700 cases in the country, with over 630 deaths. As a result, the rest of the shipment has been “put on hold” and future shipments will be subjected to more strenuous testing.
China began shipping millions of masks and medical supplies all across the world after claiming that its only coronavirus cases are now foreigners entering the country. However, many suspect that China is not being truthful in its claims that it has contained the virus.
Last week, Spain returned 640,000 rapid testing kits produced by Chinese company Bioeasy as they had an accuracy level of below 30%. Spain currently has over 85,000 cases with over 7,300 deaths. Admittedly, however, Spain purchased these kits from a company that is not officially licensed by the Chinese government to sell medical products.
Similar kits manufactured by different Chinese companies have been sent to Georgia and the Czech Republic, and the latter also said that the rapid test kits are not working as intended. Turkey's Health Minister, too, said that the samples of rapid testing kits it had received from a Chinese company did not meet the country's standards, and thus it would be suspending its order.
French Health Minister, Olivier Veran, recently announced that France had ordered more than a billion masks from China. It is unknown whether this order will be canceled in light of recent events in the Netherlands, Spain, the Czech Republic, and Turkey.
Health experts in China have also warned against the validity of the tests being used in China, especially after it was found that 3-10% of patients who recovered from the coronavirus in Wuhan tested positive for the virus once again.
Multiple Countries Recall Millions of Defective Chinese-Made Medical Products
The Netherlands, Spain, the Czech Republic, and Turkey have all suspended orders.
March 31, 2020
IMAGE SOURCE: XINHUA