The 16 members of the first medical team of Zhanjiang, South China's Guangdong province that will head to Hubei province to contribute to the fight against the novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP) were assembled at Zhanjiang Airport on Feb 9.

The first medical team members of Zhanjiang that will go to Hubei to assist the province's efforts to combat the novel coronavirus epidemic depart from Zhanjiang Airport on Feb 9. [Photo by Zhang Fengfeng/gdzjnews.com.cn]

After the NCP outbreak, Guangdong province has shown full support to Hubei province in strengthening medical treatment of NCP. The medical staff in Zhanjiang also responded actively to the initiative, with more than 540 medical staff members signing up in one day.

After deliberate selection, 16 elite medics with excellent skills from Central People's Hospital of Zhanjiang, the Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, as well as the departments of critical medicine, infectious medicine, and respiratory medicine of Guangdong Nongken Hospital were finally chosen to be part of the first batch of Zhanjiang medical workers to be sent to Hubei.

"We will take on the mission to win the battle against the novel coronavirus, as well as bolster epidemic prevention and control efforts," the medical staff firmly swore before leaving, under the leadership of the medical team leader Wang Lei.