Chile to send experts to learn anti-virus experience from China

SANTIAGO - A team of Chilean health experts is set to visit China to learn the Asian country's experience in containing the COVID-19 outbreak, a top official said Monday.

"President Sebastian Pinera proposed, with a lot of interest on our part, the possibility of a delegation of (health) professionals going to this great country that is China, to learn what they have done and how they have educated the population," Chilean Health Minister Jaime Manalich told media after meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Chile Xu Bu.

"China's situation is extraordinarily important, because the measures they have applied - mainly measures of public health, community awareness and controlling contact - are working," said Manalich.

According to the minister, the Chilean team will include two doctors, a nurse and a statistician.

So far, there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Chile. Still, the government has issued an alert and installed various prevention mechanisms.