On the noon of April 10, five Sichuan medical experts who were part of China's first group of experts to Italy returned to Sichuan after landing at the Shuangliu International Airport. Since arriving in Italy on March 13, the expert group has shared experiences with relevant Italian departments on patient treatment, drug use and nosocomial infection control and exchanged views with Italian staff on improving awareness of the public and medical staff on precautionary measures and defining the protection level of medical institutions. Rocca, President of the Italian Red Cross, said the performance of the Chinese expert group was heartening. Italy is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with China, learn from China's experience in anti-epidemic measures and bounce back as soon as possible.

Members of the expert group exchange experiences with their Italian counterparts.（Photo/SCOL）

On the afternoon of April 10, the West China Hospital, Sichuan University and large-scale Comprehensive Medical Institutions in Bari, Italy, carried out the "same breath, same fate" remote video epidemic prevention and control experience exchange activities.

In the video conference, the expert group of West China Hospital, Sichuan University introduced the clinical experience of epidemic prevention and treatment, gave details about the treatment process, treatment methods and medication use as well as solutions based on clinical practice experience for problems raised by Italian experts.

"Did all COVID-19 patients in Sichuan use ECMO?" Salvatore Grasso, head of COVID-19 intensive care unit in Bari arge Integrated Medical Institution, asked.

 "Generally speaking, if after treatment, patients still have symptoms of hypoxia that can not be improved and the blood oxygen saturation is not high, then we may give patients ECMO treatment,” Luo Fengming, deputy director of Respiratory and Critical Medicine Department of West China Hospital, Sichuan University, replied.

Luo Fengming participated in the fight against COVID-19 in Wuhan. In 57 days in Wuhan, he led the team that managed 99 beds in three wards of the Red Cross Hospital of Wuhan. Altogether, 284 patients were treated and a wealth of knowledge about first-line treatment experience was accumulated.

Bari large Integrated Medical Institution is located in southern Italy. As on March 28, the number of COVID-19 patients admitted here was 150.

Chinese and Italian medical experts exchanged epidemic prevention experience through remote video.(Photo/XinHua)

This video conference was guided by the talent exchange service center of the National Health Commission of China. "Viruses have no borders, this epidemic is our common enemy. All countries must work together to build up the strictest joint defense and control network. China has established COVID-19 knowledge center, which is open to all countries,” said Zhang Junhua, director of the talent exchange service center of the National Health Commission of China.

Experts from the National Commission of China shared “China's knowledge of COVID-19 outbreak from its experience” with the Italian medical experts. Italian medical experts can download free English COVID-19 prevention and control programs, guidelines for treatment and other important documents.（By Edina Liang）