China aids Laos anti-epidemic supplies

Laos held a handover ceremony of China's anti-epidemic aid in Vientiane on Monday.

Chinese Ambassador to Laos Jiang Zaidong (1st L, front) and Sounthone Xayachack (2nd R, front), head of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee's commission for external relations, attend a handover ceremony of China's anti-epidemic aid in Vientiane, Laos, April 27, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

On the occasion, Chinese Ambassador to Laos Jiang Zaidong said that with the coordination between the two parties' international departments, the Chinese anti-epidemic medical expert team had worked with the Lao side, assisting to formulate a complete scheme to resist COVID-19 from the outside and to prevent the virus from spreading domestically.

China will continue to help the Lao side to win the combat against COVID-19, Jiang added.

Sounthone Xayachack, head of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee's commission for external relations, said that confronting the sudden hit of COVID-19, the two parties, the two countries and the two peoples had been watching out and caring for each other, and cooperating closely.

He expressed sincere thanks to China's support and aid during Laos' combat against COVID-19.

Laos detected its first two confirmed COVID-19 cases on March 24, and only after five days, the first Chinese anti-epidemic medical expert team arrived in Vientiane on March 29 to help.

The team, including experts in various fields such as infection prevention and control, intensive care, epidemics, and laboratory testing, also brought along with it medical treatment, protective supplies and a batch of Chinese and Western medicines.

Lao health ministry announced at its daily press conference that the country has detected 19 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Tuesday afternoon.