The Netherlands recalls defective masks from China

The Netherlands has ordered a recall of around 600,000 masks out of a shipment of 1.3 million from China, after an inspection showed they failed to protect the face or had defective filters.
The masks were delivered to the Netherlands by a Chinese manufacturer on March 21. Local media reported that they had already been distributed to several hospitals currently battling the coronavirus pandemic. The Netherlands has over 9,700 cases and over 630 deaths.
“A second test also revealed that the masks did not meet the quality norms. Now it has been decided not to use any of this shipment”, the health ministry said in a statement, adding it would conduct extra testing on any future shipments.
“When they were delivered to our hospital, I immediately rejected those masks”, a hospital source told the media.
China is sending millions of masks and medical supplies to countries across the world, as it slowly began lifting restrictions, saying its only coronavirus cases now are foreigners entering the country.
Top UK officials on Sunday said that, apart from downplaying its number of cases by “15 to 40 times”, China is also trying to expand its economic power through offering help to other countries which are currently trying to combat the virus.
Last week, Spain returned the first order after it bought 640,000 faulty rapid testing kits from a Chinese company. The tests showed that the kits performed with an accuracy level of under 30%. Spain currently has 85,195 confirmed cases and 7,340 deaths from the virus.