Coronavirus: UAE dispatches medical supplies to help fight Covid-19 in the Americas

The country dispatched aid to Costa Rica and Chile to help healthcare workers contain the pandemic

Visitors take photos from At The Top, Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Reem Mohammed / The National

Staff of Hafiz Mustafa in facemasks at their shop in The Dubai Mall. Reem Mohammed / The National

Babki sanitises the railing at the Ice Rink in The Dubai Mall. Reem Mohammed / The National

Signs requiring people to social distance at Dubai Mall’s Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo. Reem Mohammed / The National

Skating shoes are sanitised at the Ice Rink in Dubai Mall. Reem Mohammed / The National

A staff with the parrots at Dubai Mall’s Aquarium and Underwater Zoo. Reem Mohammed / The National

A staff holds a thermometer at Dubai Mall’s Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo. Reem Mohammed / The National

Signs requiring people to social distance at Dubai Mall’s Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo. Reem Mohammed / The National

A woman skates at Dubai Mall’s Ice Rink. Reem Mohammed /The National

Signs requiring people to social distance at Dubai Mall’s Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo. Reem Mohammed / The National

General view the safety rules at Times Square Centre in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Green planet biologist Sara Stevens with an Umbrella Cockatoo at The Green Planet. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Green planet biologist Peter Njoroge holds a Blue tongued skink. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The Green Planet has opened with Covid-19 measures in place. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A person wearing protective face mask during the hot and humid weather in Al Satwa area in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

Dubai’s skyline seen from At The Top, Burj Khalifa. Reem Mohammed / The National

The UAE has dispatched supplies to help healthcare workers fight the coronavirus in the Americas.

A plane carrying 9 tonnes of medical aid and 10,000 testing kits touched down in Costa Rica at the weekend.

It will assist 9,000 professionals working to contain Covid-19 in the country, which has registered 1,612 confirmed infections and 12 deaths.

Carlos Alvarado, president of Costa Rica, thanked the UAE for the aid and its support in repatriating citizens from the country.

Juma Al Rumaithi, UAE Ambassador to Costa Rica, said the aid was an indication of the strong ties between the two countries.

"Thanks to the support and guidance of the leadership of our two countries, bilateral relations have witnessed a quantum leap,” he said.

“This contributed to building a strategic partnership and led to enhanced cooperation, trade, and development. In this context, medical assistance has been provided to Costa Rica, confirming the strength and durability of these relations."

"The UAE is always keen to stand by brotherly and friendly countries and help medical teams that are among the most vulnerable to the pandemic."

The UAE also dispatched supplies to Chile, bringing the total aid it has sent overseas since the start of the outbreak to 904 metric tonnes, supporting 904,000 medical professionals.

Almost 161,000 people have contracted the coronavirus in Chile and more than 2,870 have died since the outbreak.

"Relations between the UAE and Chile are constantly evolving, and there is keenness to develop cooperation between our two countries," said Abdul Razzaq Hadi, UAE Ambassador to Chile.

"The medical assistance provided to Chile today comes within the framework of strengthening bilateral relations and contributing to the efforts of the relevant authorities in the country to combat Covid-19 by providing protection to frontline medical workers."