Story By: Ernest Bio Bogore, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash
Newsflash/@HeleneLaporteRN
This is the moment a gang of French youths sell face masks on the street for 90p a pop despite a shortage in the country amid escalating COVID-19 cases.
In the footage, several men are seen in possession of numerous stacked boxes of face masks that they are touting on the street for 1 EUR (0.93 GBP)
The video was shared on social media by netizen ‘Helene Laporte’ who wrote: “While health workers put their lives in danger to stop the epidemic without masks, thieves are selling their wares in our cities. Poor France!”
One netizen replied: “Seize the boxes and punish the group. Bunch of b*stards, making money from sanitary misery.”
Another social media user said: “You have to be strict with these people who have been protected for too long. Chaos, war and crisis are feeding grounds for those who plunder and exploit.”
Last month, France donated 17 tons of face masks to China amid the COVID-19 outbreak as a show of solidarity.
Local media said that face masks have become a scarce commodity in France as the number of virus cases rises sharply.
Pharmacies have reportedly been instructed to only sell masks to health workers.
According to reports, China agreed to send a million face masks to France on 18th March.
As of 19th March, France has recorded 9,058 cases of COVID-19 and 243 deaths.
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