VIENTIANE, April 9 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese anti-epidemic medical team, divided into two groups, have been sharing anti-epidemic experiences with local Lao governments and medical staff in Laos' southern and northern hubs of Pakse and Luang Prabang from Tuesday to Thursday.
Shi Tongchuan, the deputy head of the team, told Xinhua on Thursday that in Pakse, some 470 km southeast of Lao capital Vientiane, the Chinese medical experts conducted on-site training and operation demonstrations for medical staff from six southern provinces, and answered questions on diagnosis, treatment, protection, and control of the COVID-19 cases.
In the provincial hospital laboratory, the Chinese experts trained testing personnel on standard operating procedures and specimen sampling; in the provincial health department, the team communicated with officials on epidemic prevention and control, public places's disinfection, epidemiological investigations, and management of high-risk groups, and proposed improvement measures.
Likewise, in Laos' northern hub Luang Prabang, some 220 km north of Vientiane, the Chinese doctors participated in the epidemic prevention seminars of eight northern Lao provinces, trained the local medical staff and answered questions on the COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment.
The team also trained the local lab staff on personal preventive equipment dressing and held a symposium with relevant representatives of the Lao Health Ministry and of the eight northern Lao provincial health departments.
Laos detected its first two confirmed COVID-19 cases on March 24, and only after five days, the Chinese anti-epidemic medical expert team arrived in capital Vientiane on March 29.
The Chinese medical team includes experts in various fields such as infection prevention and control, intensive care, epidemics, and laboratory testing. They also brought along with 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 16 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Thursday afternoon.
