Uzbekistan on Friday received medical supplies sent by Turkey to contribute to the country's fight against the COVID-19 outbreak, according to Turkey's National Defense Ministry.

"Medical supplies prepared at the direction of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for use against the COVID-19 outbreak have arrived in Uzbekistan," the ministry said on Twitter.

"Uzbekistan Vice Minister of Health Shakhrukh Sharakhmetov, our Tashkent Military Attache Col. Mustafa Baloglu, and Second Secretary of the Tashkent Embassy Furkan Yılmaz welcomed our aircraft, which delivered medical supplies," the ministry added.

Turkey has sent medical aid to around 140 countries to help them combat the coronavirus pandemic.

Since it originated in China last December, over 17.3 million COVID-19 cases have been reported worldwide, with the death toll at nearly 674,000, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

As the fight against the pandemic continues, Turkey has come to the forefront as a humanitarian leader while still maintaining its domestic success against the coronavirus. Some two-thirds of the world have requested medical supplies from Turkey to fight COVID-19, and nearly half of these requests have been met.

Turkey's aid packages mostly include medical masks, protective overalls and gloves, as well as disinfectants. All equipment is produced at military-owned factories and at sewing workshops that produce uniforms and other clothing for the army.

According to the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Turkey has helped more than 130 countries worldwide during the pandemic.