China has sent three teams of medical experts to Italy to help in the control of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first team has returned to China, while the third team recently arrived in Italy. Each team went to different parts of Italy.

The second team, which consisted of 13 members, spent 10 days in Milan. CGTN has reached two of them online, for their work and their assessment of the situation there.

"Since we arrived in Milan on March 18, we spoke with the Lombardy District government and hospitals. We also visited Chinese-invested enterprises and overseas Chinese communities," Yang Junchao, member of the Chinese COVID-19 Expert Team in Italy, and vice president of east China's Zhejiang Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital.

The team brought along ventilators, monitors, portable B-mode ultrasound scanners, N95 masks and protective suits, according to Yu Haiying, another team member, also the deputy director of the Department of Infectious Diseases of the First Affiliated Hospital to Zhejiang University School of Medicine.

Pressing concerns

Some of the most pressing concerns in Italy appear to be the shortage of epidemic control supplies and medical staff. 

"There is also a shortage of beds, so they build temporary hospitals like China," Yang said.

During the first month of the outbreak, the Lombardy region had already set up an emergency response team. "They accepted and adopted our prevention and control measures," she added.

"In terms of treatment, their ability to treat serious cases is really advanced. But their major challenge right now is being unable to cope with the large number of patients," Yu said. "As for our professional experience, they are interested in finding out more about treatment plans, as well as when to use ventilators, and whether hormones should be used."

Yang, as an expert in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), said "Since TCM has produced some good results in China, our Italian counterparts are also keen to find out more." 

How the epidemic will develop

"Since last week, the Lombardy region has strengthened control measures. I believe that after one or two incubation periods, or about 14 or 28 days, the epidemic can be controlled. Of course, it'd also require the Italian public's cooperation with the various control measures," Yang stressed.

Impressions from the last 10 days

"We visited quite a few hospitals. One of them was the central hospital in Morgana. When we arrived, and before we got off the car, we saw many people waiting for us. They gave us a very warm welcome. We even heard applause and cheers from buildings far away. I was deeply moved," Yu told us.

As for Yang, she said "We want to stand together with the Italian people. We are a community with shared future of humankind. I hope the pandemic will end soon, and our lives and work can return to normal. That's what we'd love to see."