Coronavirus outbreak: China reaches out to India for N95 masks
In the backdrop of the threat posed by coronavirus, the manufacturers in Madurai are working extra hours to produce N95 masks in order to meet the high demand from China and domestic users as well. Abhilash, a manager with AM Mediwear, said the N95 mask has six layers, which will not allow micro bacteria or the virus to pass through.
Around 150 labourers have been involved in producing the masks. Normal masks have two or three layers, but N95 holds six layers of filters, which won't even allow a micro substance to pass through.
We are also manufacturing shoe wear, head cover, and are packed as a kit," Abhilash told. "We are getting a huge number of orders from Indian exporters, who will send masks to China. We have doubled our production," he added.
Coronavirus originated in Wuhan, a Chinese city of more than 11 million people and has since then spread to various countries around the world.
As many as 170 people have died of the virus, while over 1700 cases have been registered in China alone.
Health authorities around the world are taking action to prevent a global pandemic as the virus continues to spread, with cases reported in Australia, France, the United States and several Asian countries besides China.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV).
A novel coronavirus is a new strain that had not been previously identified in humans.
(With inputs from ANI)
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