Algeria prisoners make face masks to tackle coronavirus

Algerian authorities have employed prisoners in the production of face masks and other protective equipment to help the North African state face the coronavirus.

Algeria has the highest death rate in the Arab world from the respiratory disease which is spread across the world, on Friday it reported that it had 2,418 confirmed cases and recorded 364 deaths in total.

“The Prison Administration in Algeria decided to involve 30 detention centres in the making of the aforementioned materials in order to contribute to the state’s efforts to confront the pandemic,” AFP reported the Algerian Prisons Administration saying.

It is hoped their efforts to satisfy the needs of penal institutions before being expanded to include benefit the health sector.

Sewing workshops will be opened “to make 200,000 masks in 30 penal institutions in the country”, the prison administration said.

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