China and South Korea join in providing assistance

On Saturday, President Xi Jinping sent a message to his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in, expressing thanks for the aid sent to China by its close neighbor.

"The virus knows no borders, and in turn, China knows just how much pain South Korea feels", Xi said, adding that China will continue to support its neighbor's efforts to contain the outbreak and is willing to cooperate with it to help overcome difficulties as soon as possible.

As of Tuesday, South Korea had reported 8,320 confirmed infections and 81 deaths from the virus. However, it has seen a decline in the number of new cases, with the latest figures showing only a double-digit rise for three consecutive days.

The country said that the main message it wants to convey in containing the virus is "conduct as many tests as possible". There are 118 facilities in South Korea to carry out tests, with all of them reporting results to the KCDC.

Since the outbreak emerged in mid-January, the nation of 51 million has tested about 270,000 people, with some 15,000 tests being carried out daily.

Drive-through testing centers have been rolled out, where motorists are met by health workers dressed in hazmat suits. The safety procedures even include a vehicle's air conditioning system. Drivers are advised to hit the recirculation button if they are sick, to isolate pathogens in their cars and avoid infecting medical personnel carrying out the tests.