Apple to donate millions of masks for health professionals fighting COVID-19, says Tim Cook

After Jack Ma and Elon Musk, Apple CEO Tim Cook has announced assistance for health professionals fighting the global pandemic.

Tim Cook announced Apple’s contribution to the fight against COVID-19. (Bloomberg)

Apple CEO Tim Cook on Sunday announced that the company is donating millions of masks to health professionals in the US and Europe to fight the coronavirus outbreak.

"Our teams at Apple have been working to help source supplies for healthcare providers fighting COVID-19. We're donating millions of masks for health professionals in the US and Europe. To every one of the heroes on the front lines, we thank you," he said in a tweet.

 

Our teams at Apple have been working to help source supplies for healthcare providers fighting COVID-19. We're donating millions of masks for health professionals in the US and Europe. To every one of the heroes on the front lines, we thank you.

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) March 21, 2020

Apple and other technology companies are hard at work to assist health-care professionals to fight the global pandemic that has affected more than 300,000 people around the world.

Cook has also joined the likes of Elon Musk and Jack Ma to lend a helping hand to medical and health industries. Musk said his companies will help make ventilators "if there is a shortage" amidst the COVID-19 outbreak.

Alibaba founder Jack Ma announced he'll donate emergency medical supplies to 10 countries. The supplies include 1.8 million masks, 210,000 test kits, 36,000 protective suits, ventilator and thermometers for Asian nations including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

WhatsApp earlier this week announced $1 million to combat misinformation related to the coronavirus pandemic. The financial assistance will be granted to Poynter Institute's International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN).

WhatsApp has also introduced a 'Coronavirus Information Hub' to deliver "simple, actionable guidance for health workers, educators, community leaders, nonprofits, local governments and local businesses that rely on WhatsApp to communicate."