Coronavirus: Royal Caribbean Cruises to deliver one million surgical masks to China

Coronavirus: Royal Caribbean Cruises to deliver one million surgical masks to China

Royal Caribbean Cruises will deliver a million protective surgical masks into China as the country battles to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

Richard Fain, the chairman and chief executive of Royal Caribbean Cruises, said the cruise company would work with suppliers to deliver the N-95 protective masks to China for the country’s government.

Face masks are reportedly selling out in cities across Asia as concerns over the virus grow.

More than 1,300 people are known to have died from the virus, including six health workers in China.

Local authorities in the country have reportedly struggled to provide protective equipment such as respiratory masks and goggles in hospitals, according to the BBC.

Fain said: “We admire the all-out efforts of the Chinese government and people to address this crisis and we want to bring our resources to bear to help their efforts.”

Royal Caribbean International president and chief executive Michael Bayley said the line would move a ship to China to carry out a series of complimentary sailings to thank medical personnel once the virus outbreak had ended.

Royal has also revealed that Spectrum of the Seas will offer complimentary cruises sailing from Sydney for Australia’s first responder community and Celebrity Millennium will provide ex-US sailings for firefighters in California following the wildfires.