March 19 (SeeNews) - China is willing to assist Bulgaria in its efforts to take all necessary precautions to prevent the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from spreading even further in the country, the Bulgarian government said.
China, where the first COVID-19 cases in the world were detected, is ready to donate to Bulgaria masks, glasses, gloves and other protective equipment, the government press office quoted Chinese prime minister Li Keqiang as saying in a statement on Wednesday following a phone conversation with his Bulgarian counterpart Boyko Borissov.
In addition, the Chinese state is also willing to assist Bulgaria by providing contact with Chinese manufacturers of protective supplies and ventilators so that Bulgaria can purchase the necessary amounts.
Bulgaria's health ministry reported a third death case caused by the COVID-19 on Thursday, as the number of confirmed cases in the country increased by two to 94.
Last week, Bulgaria's parliament backed a government proposal to declare a state of emergency until April 13, in order to enable the authorities to more efficiently fight the spread of the disease. Subsequently, the country ordered all stores except for pharmacies and food stores to shut down until further notice.
The first cases of the coronavirus infection in Bulgaria were reported in early March.