Coronavirus: China’s stranded citizens offered medical advice via free service from Alibaba founder Jack Ma
- The service has been launched as China has come under a growing pressure from imported cases having seemingly bought the domestic outbreak under control
- It is Jack Ma’s latest effort to combat the virus having already donated masks and test kits to other countries
Chinese citizens stranded overseas by flight cancellations and lockdowns caused by the coronavirus outbreak will have access to advice from medical professionals at hospitals in China under a free consulting service launched by Alibaba Jack Ma.
Ma’s service will be provided to Chinese citizens overseas via Alipay, a payment application owned by Alibaba, which owns the South China Morning Post.
Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Chinese citizens working or studying abroad are trying to return home, creating a headache for the Chinese government.
It’s now difficult for those who are overseas to return to China, and there are growing risks of infection during their journey – airports, airplanes and buses … nothing is safe!
“Mothers are deeply worried when their sons are thousands of miles away,” Ma wrote on Chinese social media channel Weibo on Monday “It’s now difficult for those who are overseas to return to China, and there are growing risks of infection during their journey – airports, airplanes and buses … nothing is safe!”
China’s National Health Commission reported 74 imported infections on Tuesday – the highest on record – bringing the total number of imported cases in China to 427.