SHANGHAI, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Medical experts from China's Shanghai and South Africa exchanged ideas on the prevention and control of COVID-19 during a two and a half hour video conference Friday night.

Four experts from Shanghai and a dozen of their counterparts in South Africa shared views on coronavirus testing, tracking and treatment of close contacts of confirmed cases, and vaccine research and development.

Noting that rapid screening of cases is essential following the epidemic, Shen Yinzhong with the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center said China solved the problem by screening patients received at fever outpatient clinics to reduce the risks of others getting infected at hospitals.

Sun Xiaodong, vice director of the Shanghai's disease control and prevention center, said the city has set up teams of medical experts to study on the conditions and enhanced efforts to track down and timely quarantine and treat COVID-19 patients and their close contacts.

Early diagnosis, early quarantine and treatment are priorities in minimizing the number of infected patients who fall in serious conditions, said Hu Bijie with the Zhongshan Hospital affiliated to Fudan University, adding that the city has seen lower demand for ICU treatment lately.

Zweli Mkhize, health minister of South Africa, expressed his gratitude to the four experts in Shanghai. He said the sharing of knowledge and experience is highly valuable and expected to see further discussion in the future.

On Friday, medical experts of Shanghai's disease control and prevention center also held a video chat with about 200 overseas Chinese, and students studying in South Africa, answering their questions on how to protect themselves from coronavirus.