A batch of gauze masks was sent to Jinmen (Quemoy) and Mazu from Xiamen City of east China's Fujian Province Friday as the first shipment of anti-SARS supplies donated by the people in the province.
Sanitary supplies were in urgent demand since probable SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) cases were reported on the islands of Jinmen and Mazu this month. Fujian has donated three ultraviolet air disinfection machines and 8,000 gauze masks.
The provincial Red Cross and a magazine called Cities Across the Straits jointly organized an appeal on May 13, and collected 8,000 gauze masks from the public in three days.
"It's our commitment to help the Taiwan people to fight against SARS, because people across the strait are all Chinese," said Wu Wendong, a drug store manager in the capital city of Fuzhou at the donation ceremony on Friday morning.
Jinmen and Mazu are islands facing Fujian's port city Xiamen which are part of Taiwan Province.
(Xinhua News Agency May 17, 2003)
