Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian on Friday said a group of Filipino-Chinese businessmen will donate over  half a million face masks to the public following confirmation by the Department of Health of the first case of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCov).

Huang said the Philippine Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. agreed to his suggestion for the group to donate at least 600,000 masks.

“We believe China and the Philippines [have] come through thick and thin. We will continue to go hand in hand to overcome the difficulties and we are very confident to bring our people back on track [at] an early date,” Huang said in a media briefing.

The DOH announcement on the first 2019-nCoV case in the country has resulted spike in the demand for face masks. The World Health Organization has declared a global emergency with 10,000 reported cases in 18 countries.

The DOH earlier appealed to the public to stop hoarding face masks, warning that a shortage of supply will affect health workers and other people who need it.

“We ask the public to be very, very judicious in the use of these materials,” Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo said.

Domingo said they are working with suppliers to deliver much-needed face masks to hospitals. DMS