China sends experts to contain coronavirus spread as Iran toll mounts to 43

The Iran health ministry on Friday confirmed 43 deaths due to the deadly disease and 593 confirmed cases of the virus in the country

The coronavirus-hit China, which is grappling to contain the outbreak amidst rising death toll and number of infected cases, has sent a group of experts to Iran to help combat the spread of the disease in the country that has witnessed 34 deaths due to COVID-19, the Chinese foreign ministry said.

The Iran health ministry on Friday confirmed 34 deaths due to the deadly disease and 388 confirmed cases of the virus in the country.

According to media reports, the country has the highest number of death toll outside China, the epicentre of the virus.

The Chinese experts are on their way to Iran, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Friday.

The coronavirus disease is enemy of all. "We must fight together," Hua was quoted as saying by the state-run China Daily.

During his telephonic conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif earlier, State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China will continue to provide assistance within its capabilities to Iran in curbing the epidemic and treating the sick, the report said.

China has already donated a batch of nucleic acid detection kits and medical supplies to Iran to help fight the disease.

In China, 47 more people succumbed to the virus, taking the death toll in the country to 2,835, while the number of confirmed cases climbed to 79,251, Chinese health officials said on Saturday.

The novel coronavirus emerged in China in early December and is traced to a market in Hubei's capital Wuhan that sold wild animals.

Meanwhile, the WHO on Friday revised the risk assessment of the COVID-19 from "high" to "very high" at global level, as an increasing number of cases in more countries were reported over the last few days.

Update: Iran's coronavirus death toll has reached 43, with 593 people infected, according to latest reports.