Chinese Ambassador to Brunei Yu Hong (L) and Brunei's Minister of Health Haji Mohd Isham attend a handover ceremony of medical material donations from China in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, on April 23, 2020. (Photo Courtesy of the Chinese Embassy in Brunei)

Brunei received medical material donations from China on Thursday in the fight against the COVID-19 outbreak.

The medical materials included 100,000 N95 respirators and 1,000 disposable isolation gowns, which arrived in Brunei by a Royal Brunei Airline charter flight on Wednesday evening.

Yu Hong, Chinese ambassador to Brunei and Haji Mohd Isham, Brunei's minister of health attended the handover ceremony and both sides exchanged views on strengthening cooperation in containing and responding to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Facing the challenge of the COVID-19 outbreak, China and Brunei have been working together and helping each other, Yu said.

"China appreciates the assistance and support provided by the Bruneian side. Although still facing difficulties, China decided to provide medical supplies to Brunei, which were delivered in a timely manner through the Royal Brunei Airline charter flight. This fully demonstrates the high-level of the strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries and the friendship between the two peoples," Yu added.

The medical supplies will support Brunei to better protect the front-line medical personnel and help attain the ultimate victory of the fight against the COVID-19, she said.

Haji Mohd Isham expressed his sincere gratitude to the Chinese government for the medical donations urgently needed by the Brunei side.

"China's generosity is particularly invaluable in the current context," said the minister.

"Our two countries have actively cooperated in fighting against the COVID-19 outbreak and effectively prevented the spread of the epidemic in our respective countries. Brunei is willing to continue to strengthen the health cooperation and contribute to the long-term development of the bilateral relations," he added.

On behalf of the Chinese Embassy in Brunei, Yu also made a donation of 60,000 Brunei dollars (42,158 US dollars) to Brunei's COVID-19 Relief Fund.

Brunei reported no new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, as the country's tally of cases stood at 138 since the first case was detected in the sultanate on March 9.

The number of active cases being treated at the National Isolation Center decreased to 18 and so far 138 individuals are undergoing quarantine.