Chinese experts arrive in Iraq to help tackle coronavirus outbreak

Chinese medical team members arrive at Baghdad International Airport in Baghdad, Iraq, on March 7, 2020. A team of Chinese experts arrived on Saturday night in Iraq's capital Baghdad as part of China's assistance in confronting the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the country. The team includes seven experts from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and is expected to stay in Iraq for one month to help the government tackle the coronavirus disease such as testing, treating and following up the cases. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood)

A team of Chinese experts arrived on Saturday night in Iraq's capital Baghdad as part of China's assistance in confronting the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the country.

The team includes seven experts from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and is expected to stay in Iraq for one month to help the government tackle the coronavirus disease such as testing, treating and following up the cases, Tao Zhongquan, leader of the expert team sent by the Red Cross Society of China, told Xinhua.

"China has gained great experience in combating coronavirus. Iraqis can benefit from its prevention, control, detection and treatment of the disease," he said.

For his part, Jasim al-Falahi, Iraqi deputy health minister, thanked the Chinese government for its humanitarian aid.

"We really appreciate the support of the government and the people of China at this very specific time. We speak highly of China's procedures and arrangements to contain the spread of coronavirus," al-Falahi told reporters.

"The arrival of Chinese experts and medical equipment will enhance prevention and control of the coronavirus epidemic in Iraq," he said.

Zhang Tao, Chinese ambassador to Iraq, expressed China's great concerns for the developments of the coronavirus epidemic in Iraq.

"The Chinese government and people are very concerned about the epidemic in Iraq which suffers weak health services after years of war," Zhang said.

So far, 54 cases of the novel coronavirus have been detected in Iraq, of whom four have died, according to the Iraqi health ministry.

The Iraqi authorities have been taking a series of precautionary measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus after cases were confirmed in the country.