Eight expats given the OK, discharged in Guangdong province

Eight expats infected with the novel coronavirus in Guangdong province have been discharged from hospital as of Friday, according to the local foreign affairs office.

A Pakistani student, under the Chinese name Wei Xing, was cured and discharged from the Guangzhou No 8 Hospital on Feb 12, the first foreign patient to have recovered from the novel coronavirus pneumonia in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong.

"The treatment for the Pakistani student is not complicated. Doctors have used some antibiotics as he had developed a cough," said Cai Weiping, head of the infectious diseases department of the Guangzhou No 8 Hospital.

Wei developed symptoms on Jan 26 after having traveled to Guangdong from Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, in the middle of January, according to Cai.

Wei was immediately sent to the Guangzhou No 8 Hospital for treatment after being confirmed with the novel coronavirus two days later, according to Cai.

As of Thursday, Guangdong has reported 1,261 confirmed cases of novel coronavirus, with 332 already discharged from hospital, according to the local health commission.

Cai said foreigners are not accustomed to Chinese diets during hospitalization. "Nurses bought tailored food in supermarkets for the Pakistani student," Cai said.

After treatment, Wei's temperature remained stable and he has passed the health test required before being allowed to leave the hospital.

"I'm grateful for everyone's help here in Guangzhou. When the epidemic is over, I will finish my studies in Wuhan," he said.

In the short term, Wei plans to return to Pakistan."I told my family and friends that everything has gone well here and they feel relieved," he said.

"The novel coronavirus is stronger than SARS some 17 years ago in terms of human-to-human infection," Cai said.

Foreigners should take emergency medical measures if they have developed symptoms of fever and cough, according to Cai.

"Most importantly, they are suggested not to get together for dining and going out," said Cai.

Guangdong has reported 10 confirmed cases of foreign patients as of Friday.

"We are deeply concerned with the well-being of foreign nationals in Guangdong, with local hospitals doing their utmost to treat the patients," said Luo Jun, deputy director of the Foreign Affairs Office of Guangdong.