Chinese medical team leaves after 2-week assistance in Myanmar's COVID-19 fight

YANGON, April 22 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese medical team left Myanmar on Wednesday after providing two-week medical assistance to local medical workers in their fight against COVID-19.

The 12-member team, who arrived in Myanmar's Yangon on April 8, comprised of medical experts from China's Yunnan Province in the fields of infectious control and prevention of respiratory and severe diseases, clinic treatment and laboratory testing.

"Advices and guidelines given by the Chinese team are pragmatic and very helpful. We appreciate the team for your contribution and help through challenges during your stay here," Union Minister Dr. Myint Htwe for Health and Sports told the Chinese medical team through an online video call.

During the team's two-week stay in the country, many collaborations have been done in the fields of treatment, laboratory, traditional medicine and public health control relating to the fight against COVID-19 between the team and Myanmar's health authorities based on the team's frontline experiences in China, Director General Zaw Than Htun of Medical Research Department told Xinhua.

"With the help of the Chinese medical team, one more laboratory for COVID-19 test can start testing at our medical research department today, apart from the National Health Laboratory. I believe that the testing capacity will increase soon," he said.

He added that the health authorities are exerting massive efforts to cut the chain of transmission to prevent the country from having spike transmission.

Meanwhile, 20 sets of ventilators provided by the Chinese government arrived at Myanmar's Yangon International Airport, with the help of Chinese Embassy in Myanmar on Wednesday.

Chinese Ambassador in Myanmar Chen Hai pledged that China will continue its cooperation with Myanmar in fighting against COVID-19 and said that 15 more ventilators will arrive soon.

At present, Myanmar has reported 121 COVID-19 confirmed cases with five deaths as of Wednesday morning, since the infectious disease was first detected in Myanmar on March 23.