Chinese medical experts go to Russia to help with epidemic

A Chinese team of 10 medical experts left for Russia on Saturday morning to help the country in COVID-19 prevention and control work in face of the pandemic, according to China National Radio.

Setting off from Harbin, the provincial capital of Heilongjiang, the team encompasses experts from China's national and Heilongjiang's provincial disease control and prevention centers and four medical institutions in the province.

The team will provide guidance and training for medics in Russia under the lead of China's embassy in the country, contributing their expertise in laboratory testing, epidemic control, respiratory disease treatment, intensive care and traditional Chinese medicine, the report said.

They will also hold video conferences with Chinese citizens residing in Russia, ethnic Chinese and representatives of Chinese companies and students in the country. Aside from introducing epidemic control knowledge and experience, the team will also hand out medical supplies for epidemic control to these people.

The team has taken with them a batch of medical supplies, including medical masks and gloves and protective gowns.

As COVID-19 infected people continued to enter China from Russia via land ports, the Chinese embassy in Moscow said on Wednesday that all the land ports on the border of the two countries have been temporarily closed to travelers.

Meanwhile, a makeshift hospital with over 600 beds, which has been transformed from an office building, is expected to open on Saturday in Suifenhe county, which borders Russia in Heilongjiang, according to local authorities.