The Chinese Embassy in Iran held a handover ceremony on Sunday to deliver 200,000 U.S. dollars in emergency humanitarian assistance provided by the Red Cross Society of China to the Iranian Red Crescent Society.
The aid is intended to support the families of the teachers and students who lost their lives at the elementary school in Minab, Iran's southern province.
Cong Peiwu, Chinese ambassador to Iran, and Razieh Alishvandi, vice president for International Affairs and Humanitarian Law of the Iranian Red Crescent Society, attended the ceremony.
Cong said that China condemns all indiscriminate attacks on civilians and non-military targets, pointing out that attacks on schools and harm to children severely violate international humanitarian law and breach fundamental moral standards.
China is committed to continuously supporting the Iranian people as they navigate their hardships. As a genuine friend and strategic partner to Middle East countries, China is eager to collaborate on Global Security Initiative, restore order in the Middle East, and return peace to the world, said Cong.
"At this hard moment, we remain committed to supporting the Iranian people in overcoming their hardships. We sincerely hope for a swift end to the war, the early restoration of peace, and that the Iranian people could live a stable life again and rebuild their beautiful homeland," he said.
Alishvandi expressed gratitude to China for its assistance to Iran in this hard time, noting that this exemplifies China's image as a responsible major country and highlights the deep friendship between the two nations.
Chinese embassy delivers emergency humanitarian aid to Iran
Chinese embassy delivers emergency humanitarian aid to Iran
Chinese embassy delivers emergency humanitarian aid to Iran
A Spanish infectious diseases expert on Friday downplayed the risks of large-scale spreading of the deadly hantavirus, citing the current situation and precautionary measures already taken to prevent further outbreaks.
The Dutch-operated, hantavirus-hit expedition cruise ship MV Hondius is currently heading toward Spain's Canary Islands, following a rare outbreak that has resulted in three deaths. At least five cases of hantavirus have been confirmed out of eight suspected cases.
The strain is identified as the Andes virus, which is notable because it is known to spread between humans.
Vicente Soriano, the expert, said the virus can spread relatively easily in confined environments such as cruise ships. However, he added that the Spanish government's decision to bring the vessel to the Canary Islands and impose strict quarantine measures upon arrival is currently the best way to control its spread.
Health authorities in the Canary Islands have been placed on standby and have designated specific medical reception areas.
"It is difficult to predict what will happen after they arrive in the Canary Islands, or how many people are infected. But what we do know is that this is not expected to trigger an emergency outbreak. Among the few cases, there may be some asymptomatic individuals, and what will need to be done then is to place them in isolation," said Soriano.
Soriano believes it is unlikely that the outbreak will escalate to a state of emergency, as hantavirus is not entirely unknown and infection typically requires close contact with patients showing severe symptoms. Once cases are identified, they should be promptly isolated to effectively prevent the virus from spreading.
"The confirmed patients have already been evacuated and sent back to their home countries. Asymptomatic individuals will be taken to medical centers or hotels for nasal swab and blood tests. If they remain in good health after one week, with no fever and normal test results, they will be sent back to their places of residence in Spain or their countries of origin. I believe these measures are the right approach to prevent further spread of the outbreak and to bring it under control," he said.
Hantavirus is primarily transmitted to humans through contact with infected rodents such as rats and mice. Infection can occur through inhaling contaminated dust, touching contaminated surfaces, or exposure to rodent droppings. In rare cases, certain strains, such as the Andes virus, can spread between humans through close contact.
Large-scale hantavirus outbreaks unlikely: expert
