JEDDAH: About 150 South Koreans who were stranded in Saudi Arabia due to the suspension of international flights returned home on Thursday after boarding a special repatriation flight, as a team of medical experts from China arrived in the Kingdom to help in the fight against coronavirus.

The special flight carried around 146 South Korean nationals, as well as two Japanese businessmen and a Saudi oil executive. Hussain A. Al-Qahtani, who is CEO at a Seoul-based refinery firm, will return to work after 14 days of voluntary self-isolation.

He was on a business trip to the Kingdom when international air travel started grinding to a halt. The Japanese businessmen were also stranded in the country’s Eastern Province and sought help from their ambassador in Riyadh, who turned to South Korea’s ambassador for assistance.

South Korea’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Jo Byung-wook thanked the government for the special repatriation flight.

The Chinese experts will work with their Saudi colleagues in the frontline against coronavirus. A friend in need is a friend indeed. We are proud of these distinguished relationships. Chen Weiqing, Chinese ambassador to Saudi Arabia

The aircraft returned to the Kingdom loaded with 160,000 PCR diagnostic kits to help in the detection of coronavirus.

Latest figures

Saudi Arabia’s Health Ministry announced on Friday 762 new cases, taking the total number of infections to 7,142. There were also four new deaths from the virus, pushing the fatalities to 87. A ministry spokesman said that more than 150,000 people had been tested.

Earlier in the week China said it was dispatching medical experts to Saudi Arabia to help authorities contain the outbreak.

Chinese Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Chen Weiqing tweeted that he had received the medical experts as well as medical supplies to Riyadh.

“The Chinese experts will work with their Saudi colleagues in the frontline against coronavirus. A friend in need is a friend indeed. We are proud of these distinguished relationships.”

He said that he remembered attending the signing ceremony of Saudi Arabia’s contribution to support China to combat COVID-19 on Feb. 13.

“I felt the sincere friendship and friendly feelings of the Kingdom’s government and people toward China,” the envoy added. “Once again, China and Saudi Arabia set an example of cooperation and solidarity as the basis for fighting coronavirus.”

HIGH LIGHTS • The Saudi leadership is among the first to express sympathies and support following the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, says China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman. • The Chinese specialists are experts in lab testing, prevention and control of infectious diseases, critical case treatment, nursing, and traditional Chinese medicine. • The team will share its experience with Saudi Arabia and provide guidance and training in prevention, control, diagnosis and treatment of the illness.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Wednesday that the Saudi leadership was among the first to express sympathies and support following the outbreak in Wuhan.

“The Saudi government and people from all walks of life extended a helping hand to us with batches of supplies,” Zhao said. “Currently as Saudi Arabia faces the same challenge, China, likewise, stands firmly with it and is ready to provide assistance as its ability permits,” he added.

The Chinese specialists are experts in lab testing, prevention and control of infectious diseases, critical case treatment, nursing, and traditional Chinese medicine. The team will share its experience with Saudi Arabia and provide guidance and training in prevention, control, diagnosis and treatment of the illness.

“They will also provide technical guidance, protective supplies, and traditional Chinese medicine consulting for staff of the Chinese embassy and Chinese businesses, Chinese nationals and ethnic Chinese in Saudi Arabia,” said Zhao.

He said the virus respected no borders and called for a joint response. “As comprehensive strategic cooperative partners, China and Saudi Arabia will continue close cooperation to safeguard people’s life and health and vanquish the common enemy to all human beings.”