China sends medical aid to Pakistan to combat coronavirus outbreak

China sent a plane loaded with medical personnel and supplies to help Pakistan fight the spread of the coronavirus in one of the world’s most populous nations, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said Saturday.

Across West Asia and elsewhere, the outbreak has raised concerns that health systems strapped by multiple wars, refugee crises and unstable economies won’t be able to handle a growing numbers in cases. Iran is battling the worst outbreak in the region. Iranian state TV raised on Saturday that the virus death toll by another 139 people, pushing the total fatalities to 2,517 amid 35,408 confirmed cases.

China has sought to portray itself as a global leader in the fight against the outbreak, which began a few months ago in its Wuhan province.