China has been cooperating and holding in-depth communication with the international community on the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), and shared with the world its scientific research data, technological achievements, and epidemic prevention and control strategies, a Chinese official said on March 26, Science and Technology Daily reported Monday.
Chinese medical experts have a photo with local doctors in Padova, Italy on March 18, 2020. (Photo/Xinhua)
China has constantly upheld the idea of a community with a shared future for mankind in its efforts to prevent and control COVID-19, stressed Xu Nanping, vice minister of China’s Ministry of Science and Technology, at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office.
Early on during the epidemic onset, Chinese researchers isolated the first strain of the novel coronavirus and shared with the World Health Organization (WHO) its full genome sequence, providing an important foundation for virus research, drug screening and vaccine development around the world, Xu said.
According to Xu, China has set up two platforms to share its scientific findings on the novel coronavirus with the world.
One of the platforms, the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Resource (2019nCoVR) database, which was established by the China National Center for Bioinformation, provided data services for more than 76,000 visitors from 152 countries and regions and witnessed 4.4 million downloads as of March 25, Xu disclosed.
In addition to sharing scientific data, China has also offered technological products, medical assistance teams, solutions, and its experience in fighting the epidemic to virus-stricken regions around the world, according to Xu.
Zhang Xiaojun, marketing director of the Beijing Applied Biological Technologies Co., Ltd., a Beijing-based enterprise specializing in the development of detection solutions for pathogenic microbes, has been busy making videos, looking for Persian translation teams, and contacting Chinese embassies in recent days.
“We want to send the detection kits to where they are needed the most, and figure out ways to provide technical support,” said Zhang, explaining that transport of supplies is just one aspect that has to be dealt with for donated technological products, as these products can only be made full use of with the appropriate technical support.
In an effort to help the recipients better use their products, Zhang’s team created video tutorials with subtitles in different languages.
Last week, the company donated novel coronavirus detection products for over 10,000 people together with instructional videos to the Italian embassy in China. Luca Ferrari, the Italian ambassador to China, attended the donation ceremony and thanked the company for its efforts.
On March 15, 1,000 rapid test kits manufactured by China’s leading gene-sequencing provider BGI Genomics and donated by the Chinese humanitarian organization Mammoth Foundation arrived in Belgrade, capital of Serbia.
The medical aid from China was the first batch of anti-epidemic supplies Serbia received by a foreign country in its fight against COVID-19.
By March 22, BGI Genomics had received orders for novel coronavirus rapid test kits for 1 million people from 70 countries and regions. The products have been shipped to countries including Japan, Brunei, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Peru.
After arriving in Serbia 10 days ago, a Chinese medical expert team has been exchanging ideas with Serbian dignitaries and experts, visited local hospitals and detection departments, and offered suggestions on the country’s prevention and control measures against COVID-19, carrying out their mission earnestly and unceasingly.
At a video conference held on March 25, Chinese medical experts, including renowned respiratory specialist Zhong Nanshan, exchanged ideas with experts from European countries including Germany, Italy, the UK, and Romania on the current epidemic situation and various countries’ coping strategies, and shared with them China’s diagnosis and treatment plans as well as Chinese medical workers’ experience in disease prevention.
Chinese experts have selflessly shared their country’s experience with the world and exchanged ideas with their foreign peers on such aspects as treatment of critical cases, controlling hospital infection, and use of medicine via video conferences, winning recognition from various parties, Zeng Yixin, deputy director of the National Health Commission, said at the press conference on March 26.