China is giving 500 sets of what they are calling the "most advanced kits" to Bangladesh to help detect coronavirus cases.

They are expected to reach Dhaka on Tuesday, Chinese Ambassador Li Jiming said at a meeting with Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today.

"These are real-time fluorescent RT-PCR kits for detecting the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and are the first such donation to any country from China," Deputy Chief of Mission and Minister (Counsellor) of the Embassy Yan Hualong told UNB after the meeting.

More such kits will be provided if any case is confirmed in Bangladesh, he added.

Foreign Minister Momen said China has been very helpful towards Bangladesh throughout the process and also appreciated the Chinese government's support in bringing back 312 Bangladeshis from Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak.

The Bangladeshis have returned to their respective homes after spending 14 days in quarantine.

"We're in touch [with China]," he said, referring to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's recent message to the Chinese President Xi Jinping.

To fight further spread of the new virus outbreak both in China and globally, and to protect states with weaker health service systems, the international community has launched a $675 million preparedness and response plan covering the months of February through April 2020.

"My biggest worry is there are countries today who don't have the systems in place to detect people who have contracted the virus, even if it were to emerge," said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

"Urgent support is needed to bolster weak health systems to detect, diagnose and care for people with the virus, to prevent further human to human transmission and protect health workers."

The Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (SPRP) for the new coronavirus lays out activities and resources needed by international health organisations globally, including WHO, to implement priority public health measures in support of countries to prepare and respond to the virus for a period of February-April 2020.

Ambassador Li Jiming earlier urged everyone to remain on alert instead of creating panic and spreading rumours. He also said no Chinese national in Bangladesh and no Bangladeshi in China was infected with coronavirus.

The Chinese ambassador also frowned upon countries like the USA and Australia for "overreaction" on the coronavirus situation.