Hubei sends medical supplies, gear to Heilongjiang

Hubei provincial authorities on Wednesday mobilized medical supplies and protective gear valued at 30 million yuan ($4.3 million) and delivered them to Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, which has been stricken by the novel coronavirus outbreak, to help it fight the epidemic.

The first batch of the materials will be delivered in emergency assistance to the city of Suifenhe at the China-Russia border in Heilongjiang on Wednesday as the city had witnessed a mounting number of confirmed cases of infected patients from overseas.

The Suifenhe port, a major land checkpoint at the border, had reported 326 imported cases of the virus as of Tuesday night since March 26, when the first imported infection was found.

The emergency aid includes protective clothing, surgical masks, ventilators and other equipment used to treat the novel coronavirus patients, said Guo Tao, deputy director of the Hubei province's Department of Economy and Information Technology.

The medical assistance came as Hubei province, which was severely hit by COVID-19 from the end of January, has essentially stopped the epidemic thanks to the united efforts made by people from around the country.

As medical workers rushed to Hubei to help the province fight the epidemic, a total of 1,554 doctors and nurses from Heilongjiang province also pitched in to support Wuhan, the provincial capital and the city most severely hit by the virus, and the city of Xiaogan.

Besides, Heilongjiang province also delivered 3,000 tons of rice to Hubei to provide it with adequate daily necessities.

Hubei authorities said that they are concerned over the development of the epidemic situation in the provinces and cities that have helped and supported the province during the outbreak, and will provide assistance to them to the best of its ability while preventing and controlling the epidemic in the province.