Workers unload the medical masks from China in Ljubljana, Slovenia on March 20, 2020. A batch of 300,000 medical masks from China arrived in Ljubljana via Belgium on Friday to help the country combat the COVID-19. At the central warehouse, Slovenian administration for civil protection received the masks which are donated by Jack Ma Foundation and the Alibaba Foundation. (Xinhua/Peng Lijun)
LJUBLJANA, March 20 (Xinhua) -- A batch of 300,000 medical masks from China arrived in Ljubljana via Belgium on Friday to help the country combat the COVID-19.
At the central warehouse, Slovenian administration for civil protection received the masks which are donated by Jack Ma Foundation and the Alibaba Foundation.
Slovenian Defense Minister Matej Tonin thanked Alexander Cheferin, president of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), for calling his friend and Alibaba founder Jack Ma and asking for help. He also thanked the Chinese foundations and the transport company at the scene.
"This will ease the pressure on the health care system, which will be an additional relief," Tonin told the media.
The Slovenian government adopted more measures on Friday to contain the COVID-19 epidemic, banning gatherings and other events in public areas and restricting people's movement.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Slovenia rose by 22 to 341 by 2 p.m. on Friday, 55 were hospitalized.
