Editor's Notes: The Front Line is a special series of "World Insight with Tian Wei" on CGTN. Coming into being when the world is dealing with a global public health crisis, it provides a global meeting point for medical professionals and experts to share information and experiences, while informing the public on some most crucial issues with real people in the know. It also aims to encourage real cooperation and coordination at a time when all players focus much of their energy fighting the fire at their own turf.

Starting from February 26th, the number of confirmed cases reported outside China exceeded that within China. Later, the World Health Organisation warned that a threat of a pandemic has become very real. Now, "the emergency room" of The Front Line officially opens.

In the first episode of The Front Line, professional doctors, researchers, and public health policy makers from China, Italy, South Korea and Japan actively compare notes and exchange lessons on key issues they encounter when saving lives from COVID-19.

Offering insights from China's ground-zero of the epidemic Wuhan is Dr. Zhou Ning. He is a cardiologist at Tongji Hospital in Wuhan. Having been working at the bedside of severely ill patients for more than a month, Dr. Zhou gives a real picture of the life and death taking place at the ICU, and particularly the best ways to save lives.

In Italy joins Giovanni Rezza, who heads the Italian CDC as the director of the infectious-disease department at the Italian National Institute of Health. On Monday, Italy implemented lockdown on the entire nation after the number of new confirmed cases grew by almost 5000 in three days.

From South Korea is Dr. Alice Hyun-Kyung Tan. She has been working with COVID-19 patients at Seoul's MizMedi Women's Hospital. Dr. Tan gave her take on how Korea has been able to keep mortality rate relatively low, in a system where more hospitals are privately owned.

From Japan is professor Koji Wada of the International University of Health and Welfare. Based in Tokyo, professor Wada was involved in handling the outbreak on the Diamond Princess cruise ship and continues to consult the Japanese government on the epidemic. Japan was one of the earliest country to report contraction of the novel coronavirus outside of China. But now the country is struggling to figure out how to provide tests to those in need.

World Insight with Tian Wei is an international debate/in-depth interview program facilitated by host Tian Wei. People in the know, be they global leaders or emerging change-makers, all provide their insights on this unique global platform.

Schedule: Monday-Saturday

Time (GMT): 1415, 2015

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at opinions@cgtn.com.)