Cuba has sent to Vietnam a team of medical experts and thousands of antiviral pill bottles to support Vietnamese people in the fight against Covid-19, Kinh Te & Do Thi reported.

The medicine, interferon Alfa 2B produced by Cuba, which induces the human body to produce antibodies against the novel coronavirus, was handed over at a ceremony held by the Ministry of National Defense’s Department of Foreign Relations in Hanoi on August 5.

The ceremony is held in Hanoi to receive a batch of medicine from Cuba to help Vietnam fight the Covid-19 pandemic. Photo: VNA

The drug could play a vital role in treating severely ill Covid-19 patients, Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Lianys Torres Rivera said at the event.

It has been used to successfully treat Covid-19 cases in Cuba, with the death rate among patients given the drug being only 0.9% as of the end of April, she said, adding that over 80 countries have expressed their interest in buying this drug from Cuba.

She expressed her hope that the two sides will continue their efforts to maintain and intensify the fine traditional relations, showing to the world the strength of solidarity and cooperation in effectively fighting the common challenge of the mankind.

The medicine was immediately sent to Danang city and Quang Nam province, now Vietnam’s Covid-19 hotspots.

The Cuban medical experts, once finishing mandatory quarantine upon entry, will travel to the two localities to help fight the disease.

For his part, Deputy Minister of Defense Nguyen Chi Vinh said as the ASEAN Chair and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, Vietnam is fulfilling its responsibilities in sharing experiences and boosting global cooperation in fighting Covid-19.

Mr. Vinh expressed gratitude to the Cuban people for their special sentiment to Vietnam, especially in this difficult time, and affirmed that this is a fine tradition between the two nations.

Vietnam last month donated to Cuba around three tons of medical equipment to fight Covid-19, including rapid test kits, masks and protective suits.

Vietnam has detected 789 Covid-19 cases so far, 384 of them are active and ten have died.