HARARE — Zimbabwean Health Minister Obadiah Moyo on Feb 6 hailed China for its rigorous efforts in fighting the novel coronavirus outbreak.

He said Zimbabwe had full confidence in China's capacity to contain the virus.

"We are very confident, and we are very pleased with the efforts that the Chinese government is making right now," Moyo said during a joint news conference with the Chinese embassy's charge d'affaires Zhao Baogang.

Moyo said that China has made commendable strides in containing the virus, noting that its researchers are already working on producing a vaccine.

In Zimbabwe, China has pledged to equip isolation units that have been set up at hospitals throughout the country to deal with any cases of the coronavirus, while joint Zimbabwean and Chinese medical teams have been created to respond to the virus.