BEIJING, March 31 (Xinhua) -- The world is now in a battle against COVID-19, a disease caused by a previously unknown coronavirus that has spread to over 200 countries and regions.
The following are the updates on the contagious illness.
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GABORONE -- Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi said on Tuesday that the government would declare a state of public emergency for the purpose of taking appropriate and stringent measures to address the risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In his statement on the declaration of the state of the public emergency in Botswana regarding the COVID-19 outbreak in Gaborone, Botswana's capital city, Masisi said it has become apparent that urgent and necessary steps need to be taken to protect "our country and its people from this deadly virus."
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HANOI -- Vietnam's capital city of Hanoi on Tuesday set up makeshift stations providing 10-minute COVID-19 tests for free, daily newspaper Vietnam News reported.
More than 10 stations were set up in two downtown districts and one outskirt district of Hanoi, the newspaper quoted Deputy Director of Hanoi Centre for Disease Control and Prevention Khong Minh Tuan as saying.
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ULAN BATOR -- Mongolia has now resumed coal exports to China via four border points after the country reopened its Khangi border point on Tuesday, according to authorities.
"Today, our country started exporting coal via the border point of Khangi after suspension of some time," Chimed Khurelbaatar, finance minister of Mongolia, said in a statement.
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PHNOM PENH -- The Cambodian government on Tuesday decided to give tax breaks for three months to aviation companies to help offset losses caused by the COVID-19, according to a press statement.
"Cambodia's aviation companies will be provided a minimum tax exemption for three months, starting from March to May, 2020," the statement said.
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BEIJING -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday held separate phone conversations on the fight against COVID-19 with his Portugese and Luxembourg counterparts, Augusto Santos Silva and Jean Asselborn, at their request.
COVID-19 is rapidly spreading in Europe and the situation is grim, said Wang, adding that the Chinese side identifies with the feelings of the people in Portugal and Luxembourg and extends its deep sympathies to them.
