China has donated medical supplies to South Africa to help combat the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

A Boeing, said to have flown for more than 24 hours, arrived from Guangzhou at OR Tambo International airport on Monday evening, with the supplies.

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize and International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor received the consignment on Tuesday.

Some of the items include 50 000 surgical masks, 3 000 goggles, 500 infrared thermometers, face shields and Covid-19 diagnostic kits.

The Department of Health will be responsible for distributing the supplies across the country. Mkhize said the medical equipment would go a long way to protect healthcare workers at the frontline of the country’s fight against the coronavirus.

“We are sensitive about the protection of our professionals, so this donation is going to contribute quite significantly to ensuring that we are able to get our staff protected against infection,” he said at a media briefing.