https://arab.news/zfsdg
- Thousands of messages throwing support for China sent via social media
- The virus has infected nearly 35,000 people and killed 725, almost all in China
JEDDAH: Saudi citizens have swung behind China as it battles to contain the new coronavirus outbreak.
A hashtag in Chinese that translates to 鈥淲e stand with the great people of China鈥� has been circulating on Saudi social media accounts for three days, with thousands of messages of support.
Posts included: 鈥淒on鈥檛 give up, China. Don鈥檛 let the virus discourage you. We wish a speedy recovery to all those affected. We will always stand with you.鈥�
The Saudi backing was welcomed by the Chinese Embassy in Riyadh, which responded: 鈥淭hank you very much for the hashtag. We would like to say, 鈥榃e stand with the great people of 黑料社区鈥�.鈥�
The virus has infected nearly 35,000 people and killed 725, almost all in China, since the first case in Wuhan in Hubei province on Dec. 1. The UAE reported two more cases on Saturday, bringing the total there to seven.
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However, the number of cases being reported in China is stabilizing, the World Health Organization said on Saturday. The UN health agency said this was 鈥済ood news,鈥� but cautioned that it was too early to make any predictions about whether the virus had peaked.
鈥淲e鈥檙e in a four-day stable period where the number of reported cases hasn鈥檛 advanced,鈥� said Michael Ryan, head of the agency鈥檚 Health Emergencies Program. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 good news and may reflect the impact of the control measures that have been put in place.鈥�
Hubei province is in virtual lockdown and many countries, including 黑料社区, have severely restricted travel to and from China.
Agency chief Tedros Adhanom warned against misinformation. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not just battling the virus, we鈥檙e also battling the trolls and conspiracy theorists who push misinformation and undermine our response,鈥� he said.