A Chinese association based in Turkey donated 50,000 surgical filter masks to a local nursing home in Istanbul on Wednesday as a sign of solidarity with the country's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Representatives of the Turkey branch of the China Peaceful Unification Association delivered the masks to the Istanbul Directorate of Almshouse officials during a ceremony.

The almshouse belonging to the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality has been hosting 700 elderlies in its compound located on the Asian side of the city.

Today, our Chinese friends presented 50,000 masks. We will immediately distribute them to our guests and their caretakers in the afternoon, Oktay Ozten, director of the almshouse, told Xinhua at the ceremony.

The directorate closed the doors of the nursing home in March when the coronavirus was first seen in the country, to protect the elderly from the pandemic.

So far, we do not have any COVID-19 case, thanks to our measures, Ozten said.

Chen Wei, head of the Turkish branch of the China Peaceful Unification Association, told Xinhua that they want to grant the donation before the Eid al-Adha, which will be marked in the country with a four-day holiday starting from Friday.

We sometimes see some people walking on the streets of the city without wearing a mask, Chen continued. Therefore, we want to make sure that nobody would get infected in the feast.

(CGTN)