Chinese ambassador hails Ethiopia’s solidarity in combating COVID-19

Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia, Tan Jian commended Ethiopia’s support and solidarity in the efforts to contain the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19).
In his press briefing on Friday February 28, Ambassador Jian said China has taken comprehensive, rigorous and thorough measures to prevent and contain COVID-19 especially at the hardest-hit Hubei Province.
“The Chinese government attaches great importance to international cooperation,” said the ambassador.
He appreciated support and solidarity of the people and government of Ethiopia as “unforgettable”.
The ambassador said Ethiopian Airlines has not interrupted flights to China and continued its 35 flights per week. “The people and Government of China highly appreciated it and will never forget that,” he said.
He said the Chinese government is treating the students the way it cares for its own children.
Since December 2019 when the first case was reported in Wuhan city, fighting the spread of COVID-19, the Chinese government has taken the most comprehensive, rigorous and thorough measures. China has established an all-around and multi-level epidemic prevention and control system, centering on Wuhan city and Hubei Province, with a highly responsible attitude towards the lives and health of the Chinese people and people around the world.
The ambassador further stated that there are 311 Ethiopian students living and studying in Hubei Province, including Wuhan city and up until now there is no case of infection reported.
The Provincial Department of Education has set up a special working Group to take care of the foreign students.
All universities in the province have taken measures, including: disclosing the epidemic-related information in a timely manner; providing students with virus prevention stuff like face masks, disinfection rubber gloves, disinfectant, hand sanitizer; regularly disinfecting the residence; assigning staff to provide free food delivery and buy stuff for students staying in dorms; setting up 41 special hot-lines to provide 24/7 counseling for international students; created Wechat groups consisting of faculty members, volunteers and international students to learn their needs and situations.
Prime Minister Abiy also discussed this issue with President Xi of China in a phone conversation. President Xi promised that China will take care of Ethiopian students the way it cares for its own children.
This time round, African countries and people have provided China with various forms of support in the COVID-19 battle, which has “vividly illustrated the brotherly friendship of sharing weal and woe and helping each other between China and Africa”. Recent reports show that Djibouti also helps china one million dollar.
WHO team who visited China recently estimated that the measures taken in China have averted a significant number of cases.
Until February 27, 2020, the National Health Commission had received reports of 78,824 confirmed cases and 2,788 deaths in 31 provincial-level regions on the Chinese mainland and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and in all 36,117 patients had been cured and discharged from hospital. 78,824 is the accumulated figure of the confirmed cases, now the existing confirmed cases is 36,117.
On February 28, the first case in sub-Saharan Africa was announced in Nigeria. The World Health Organization (WHO) said in a report that much of the global community is not yet ready to implement the types of measures that have contained the fast-moving coronavirus outbreak in China.