Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The Chinese Government has said it will repay the goodwill the African continent extended to China in the fight against the 2019 novel coronavirus with support in safeguarding public health system.
The spokesperson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Zhao Lijian, gave the assurance at a press conference.
Zhao was responding to calls by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for China to support vulnerable countries against the spread of the virus.
Zhao stated that China will help and support countries with weaker health systems to strengthen their ability to prevent and control the novel coronavirus and maintain regional and global public health security.
The China Global Television Network (CGTN) reported Zhao to have said that African countries immediately provided China with valuable support and assistance after the outbreak of the epidemic, adding that African countries have always appreciated China’s efforts in fighting the virus.
“In times of crisis, African countries are standing with China. This is the best expression of the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind.
“We will remember the help and friendship, and implement the outcomes of jointly building the Belt and Road and the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC),” Zhao said.
Meanwhile, the Chinese Government, has disclosed that the coronavirus epidemic is witnessing new confirmed cases outside epicenter drop to single-digit nine for the first time since the outbreak.
In the February 25, 2020 edition of the ‘Newsletter on Fighting 2019-nCoV’ made available to our correspondent, in Abuja by the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Nigeria, the Chinese Government said as of 24:00 February 24, on the Chinese mainland, 77,658 confirmed cases were reported, 64,786 cases in Hubei (83.42 percent), 47,071 cases in Wuhan (60.61 percent, 72.66 percent of Hubei), even as it said 27,323 people had been discharged from hospital after recovery, 18,854 people in Hubei (69 percent), 10,337 people in Wuhan (37.83 percent, 54.83 per cent of Hubei).
The Chinese Government also put the death toll at 2,663 (morality rate 3.43 percent), 2,563 deaths in Hubei (96.24 percent, mortality rate 3.96 percent), 2,043 deaths in Wuhan (76.72 percent, mortality rate 4.34 percent).
“The mortality rate in Chinese provinces and cities other than Wuhan was 2.03 percent (620 deaths out of 30,587 cases).
The mortality rate outside Hubei province was 0.78 percent (100 deaths out of 12872 cases), 2,824 suspected cases, 2,292 cases in Hubei (81.16 percent, 1,529 cases in Wuhan (54.14 percent, 66.71 percent of Hubei).
“The number of confirmed cases in China’s Hong Kong (81, incl. 2 death, 19 cured) and Macao (10, incl. 6 cured) special administrative regions and Taiwan province (30 incl. 1 death, 5 cured) had risen to 121 in total, according to the commission,” the Chinese Government said.