ANKARA

China is expected to deploy more medical experts to the southern African nation of Zimbabwe to help fight the coronavirus pandemic, local media reported Monday.

“The date for the arrival has not yet been confirmed, but we expect them soon. Zimbabwe has been working very hard to contain the disease and we want to share the experience with Zimbabwe,” the Zimbabwe Mail website quoted Zhao Baogang, minister-counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe, as saying.

After originating in Wuhan, China last December, COVID-19 has spread to at least 185 countries and regions. Europe and the US are currently the worst-hit regions.

The pandemic has killed over 208,000 people worldwide, with total infections over 3 million and some 879,000 recovering, according to figures compiled by the US' Johns Hopkins University.

Zimbabwe has so far reported four deaths from 31 cases of people who have contracted disease.