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Italy helps Tunisia combat spread of coronavirus 

March 25, 2020 at 11:45 pm

A health worker disinfects a horse pen at the Enahli amusement park on 16 March 2020 at Ariana near Tunis, which has been closed to the public from today during the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. [FETHI BELAID/AFP via Getty Images]

Italy announced on Wednesday that it will grant Tunisia €50 million, equivalent to $55 million, to counter the outbreak of the coronavirus, within the framework of mutual cooperation between the two countries.

The Italian ambassador to Tunisia, Lorenzo Fanara, told private radio station Mosaique that: “The financial aid has nothing to do with the Tunisian initiative to send a medical team to Italy.”

On Monday, Tunisian President Kais Saied announced in a phone call with his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella, that his country is ready to send a medical delegation to Italy to help counter the virus.

Italy announced on Wednesday that the coronavirus death toll has risen to 6,820, after recording 743 new cases during the last 24 hours, while Tunisia recorded 4 deaths out of 114 confirmed infections.

As of Wednesday at noon, the coronavirus has affected more than 435,000 people worldwide, more than 19,000 of whom have died, while more than 111,000 have recovered.

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