Hospital in Van starts producing its own protective masks to combat shortage amid coronavirus outbreak

A hospital in the southeastern province of Van has started producing its own protective face masks to combat the inflation the good has seen amid the coronavirus outbreak. The Van Centennial Dursun Odabasi Medical Center will be offering the masks to its public employees for free.

 Duvar English

A hospital in the southeastern province of Van has started producing its own protective medical masks after the prices of the goods surged on the black market. 

The Van Centennial Dursun Odabasi Medical Center will be offering its masks to public employees for free. 

“Our tailoring department is producing face masks. We will give them to our employees and public workers. We wish we could make enough to give some to the public, but our resources only allow for our own employees for now,” said the doctor Ümit Haluk İlikler.

Protective face masks have seen inflation of over 200% amid the coronavirus outbreak. Masks are now being sold for 150 TL (about $25) in pharmacies across the country. 

Panic in Van

Following Turkey’s first coronavirus-related on March 17, Van residents have largely isolated themselves in their homes. 

Though demand for face masks and disinfectants has exploded, most shoppers on the streets can be seen wearing masks. 

Though they were refuted, rumors that patients in the city’s military hospital tested positive for the coronavirus have sparked panic throughout Van.