Coronavirus: Manufacturers in Madurai put in extra hours to make N95 masks as demand soars

Amid the deadly coronavirus outbreak, the manufacturers who produce N95 masks in Madurai, Tamil Nadu are putting in extra hours as demand soars in China. Responding to the outbreak, China's National Health Commission has deployed masks to healthcare workers. According to reports, millions of masks have been sent to residents of Wuhan.

Speaking to the media, MD Abhilash from AM Mediwear said, "We're getting a huge number of orders from Indian exporters who will send masks to China. We've doubled our production."

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According to reports, the demand for N95 mask in China has led to an increase in its cost by at least 50 per cent. It is making Indian manufacturers and dealers earn more. Several Indian manufacturers hiked prices of the mask owing to the surge in demand.

N95 mask

The disposable N95 mask (respirator) is a safety device that covers the nose and mouth and helps protect the wearer from breathing in some hazardous substances. An N95 mask protects people from breathing in small particles in the air such as dust and mould. This mask can be used for several hours before it gets clogged, it becomes more difficult to breathe. This mask cannot be cleaned or disinfected, so one has to throw it after it gets clogged. 

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Fatal Coronavirus

The mysterious coronavirus has claimed at least 170 lives till date, the number of cases of the novel coronavirus doubled every 7.4 days since its first emergence. As the disease continues to spread rapidly, the health authorities around the world are taking action to prevent a global epidemic, with cases reported in Australia, France, the United States and several Asian countries besides China.

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Macau has also denied entry to visitors from China's Hubei province unless they can provide documentation showing that they are not infected with the virus. The Macau government also said that they will also not allow those who visited the province 14 days prior to their arrival. 

China's immediate neighbour, Mongolia has further closed all universities and educational institutes until March 2 to prevent the spread of the deadly Coronavirus. Citing a cabinet meeting, Mongolian state media also said that it has closed the border crossings for auto vehicles and pedestrian traffic from January 27 and called for public gatherings to be cancelled.

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