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India has withdrawn a ban on medical gear exports to supply surgical masks and other medical accessories to China, which is battling with the deadly coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak.

According to a PTI report, India permitted shipment of some consignments containing protective clothing, including masks, to China.

The decision comes after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote to Chinese President Xi Jinping offering assistance to fight the epidemic.



The South Asian nation restricted exports of personal protection equipment more than a week ago following the identification of the first confirmed coronavirus case in the country.

Indian Ambassador to China Vikram Misri told the news agency that the embassy is in touch with Chinese authorities to provide the necessary assistance.

China will import large quantities of medical protective gears as part of its efforts to contain the spread of the disease.

The ambassador also added that a team of officials is regularly reviewing the restrictions on the export of medical equipment.

The US and Japan, as well as the EU, are principal suppliers of medical gears, apart from India.

Meanwhile, the outbreak, which originated from the Chinese province of Hubei, has killed more than 1,000 people.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the recent new coronavirus outbreak as an International Public Health Emergency of international concern.