The state-run Presidency of Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) extended a helping hand to France, which is embattled by the coronavirus pandemic. YTB, in cooperation with the Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs' (DİTİB) Yunus Emre Mosque in Strasbourg, set up a sewing workshop to produce masks and protective suits. The workshop is staffed by female members of the DİTİB association, which runs the mosque.

The workshop aims to produce 2,000 masks and 100 protective suits initially, to be delivered to Turkish citizens in France, as well as hospitals, hospice centers and citizens in need. Production capacity may be expanded based on demand, officials say.

The initiative is part of the YTB’s Diaspora COVID-19 Support and Cooperation Program that aims to help Turkish citizens abroad who do not have access to hygiene products or food. The program enlists Turkish charities and expatriates. YTB endorses local expatriate associations abroad with sewing workshops for mask and suit production.

The number of people who have died in France after contracting the new coronavirus rose on Sunday by 135 to 24,895, the health ministry said.

The number of people treated in hospital for the coronavirus and the number of people in intensive care units continued to decline, it said.

The number of people currently in the hospital with the COVID-19 respiratory disease fell on Sunday to 25,815 from 25,827 on Saturday, and the number of people in intensive care fell to 3,819 from 3,827.

Turkey last week delivered 500 hazmat suits and 20,000 protective masks to France at the request of Nathalie Goulet, the senator from the Orne region who collected the delivery from Turkish Ambassador to France İsmail Hakkı Musa at the Paris embassy.

Turkey has received requests from 100 countries and has delivered aid to at least 57 countries so far to help them fight the coronavirus outbreak, including countries badly hit by the virus, such as the U.S., U.K., Italy and Spain.