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02:29
Serbia's low death rate despite a high number of COVID-19 cases is partly due to the support from China and shows how global cooperation can tackle the virus.
While having one of the highest number of infections in the Western Balkans, Serbia's health authorities say that they have kept the number of fatalities down thanks to the aid from China at the very start of the outbreak.
A first batch of medical equipment including ventilators and PPE, along with six experienced Chinese medics, arrived in Serbia on 21 March, five days after the state of emergency was declared in the country.
A month after that Air Serbia A330 brought supplies, the outbreak was being brought under control and some members of the Chinese team were able to return home.
But before that the Serbian defense ministry handed military medals to the entire Chinese medical team as a token of appreciation for their work in helping combat the epidemic. On advice from these experts, Serbia had adopted Chinese practices such as isolating even mild cases of the virus in field hospitals and it implemented a Wuhan-style strict lock-down, with the over-65s confined to their homes at all times.
At the ceremony held at Serbia's Ministry of Defense, Chinese Ambassador Mrs. Chen Bo said: "Remaining members of the team will stay here in Serbia but if it is required, and needed by Serbia, China will send more medics here."
Serbia under the lockdown. The country has acted quickly to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak. Andrej Isakovic/AFP
At the height of the epidemic, an air bridge between China and Serbia was established. As a rapidly growing need for face masks emerged, China's offer to send face mask production machines and start domestic production was accepted.
They were installed and started production at a record-breaking pace at Healthcare Europe in the town of Ruma, 60 kilometers west of Belgrade.
The company's Chief Operating Officer Aleksandar Andersen Podravac told CGTN about this unique operation.
"This is one good example of how good our cooperation can be. I mean, it's not usual to see such a plant in Europe only three weeks after it is ordered from the Chinese factory. So, this is first-class and world-class cooperation," he said.
The production line works 24/7 and will soon reach its designed capacity of almost 200,000 face masks a day. All of these masks are being bought by the Serbian government, primarily for its healthcare workers. Remaining smaller producers are fulfilling the need for masks for all the other citizens.
