France has seized millions of masks and gloves to be shipped to Spain and Italy to help fight the spread of the coronavirus in those countries, Swiss health care company Mölnlycke announced on Thursday.

In a statement posted on his official website, Mölnlycke accused the French authorities of “an extremely disturbing and improper act”.

The company’s managing director, Richard Twomey, said the documents should be sent to Italy and Spain via France, saying, “France has banned the export of health products. He confiscated masks and gloves even if they were not their own. It’s an extremely disturbing and improper act. “

Twomey noted that after the unexpected move from France, the company will send new health products to Italy and Spain via Belgium.

The news, published by the Huffington Post last week, indicates that Germany has also seized the masks imported from China and sent to Italy via Germany.

After first appearing in Wuhan, China last December, the virus has spread to at least 180 countries and regions, according to U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University. Its data shows that the number of confirmed cases worldwide has exceeded 860,100, with more than 50,000 deaths and more than 178,300 recoveries.

With the increasing number of deaths worldwide, COVID-19 has sounded the alarm and has exhausted the resources of the countries. Italy, Spain, Iran, China and the United States are among the most affected countries. On Friday, the death toll in Italy reached 13,915 people, the highest in the world. The death toll in Spain is 10,935.