BEIJING — China will send additional 12 teams of more than 1,600 medical staff to Hubei province where local medical system was overwhelmed by a novel coronavirus outbreak.

Ma Xiaowei, director of the National Health Commission, said on Jan 26 at a press conference that the medical staff will be sent out shortly, adding that authorities are also coordinating supplies urgently needed to control the outbreak.

Ma said the commission has called upon and sent more than 900 medical staff in seven teams to Hubei. The military also sent a 450-strong medical team.

More than 1,000 others are on standby, he said.

The central government allocated 1 billion yuan ($143 million) to fight the outbreak, sent its reserves of medical supplies and coordinated the transfer of protective clothing, face masks, gloves, and protective goggles to the hard-hit areas, Ma added.