A team of Chinese experts have arrived in Iraq to help fight the spread of COVID-19 as the epidemic continued raging in the Middle East.

The seven-member Chinese team, which was sent by the Red Cross Society of China and the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, arrived in the Iraqi capital Baghdad Saturday evening. 

They will stay in Iraq for a month to offer help in containing the COVID-19 outbreak, which is nearly under control in China after over a month-long nationwide campaign to stop its spread.

"China has gained great experience in combating coronavirus. Iraqis can benefit from its prevention, control, detection and treatment of the disease," Tao Zhongquan, leader of the expert team, told Xinhua.

Jasim al-Falahi, Iraqi deputy health minister, thanked the Chinese government for its help, which he said will "enhance prevention and control of the coronavirus epidemic in Iraq."

This was the second team of Chinese experts sent to the Middle East to help fight the epidemic, since the first Chinese team arrived in Iran on February 29.

Iran, the hardest-hit country by the epidemic in the Middle East, also offered help to Iraq. 

In meeting with Iraqi Health Minister Jaafar Alawi in Baghdad, Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said Iran was ready to share its experience with Iraq in combating COVID-19.  

Meanwhile, the Iraqi Health Ministry announced two new deaths from the coronavirus and six new cases of infection, bringing the total number of the confirmed cases to 60, of whom six have died.

Currently, all the cases in Iraq originated abroad, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) latest daily report issued late Sunday.

Iraq confirmed its first case on February 24, an Iranian national studying in Iraq. Most cases in the country are Iran-related. 

Following the outbreak, Iraq closed its border with Iran and citizens returning from Iran are required to conduct a 14-day mandatory quarantine.