MANILA - A team of medical experts sent by China to help in the Philippines' fight against the fast-spreading coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is set to arrive in the Philippines on Sunday, April 5, the Chinese Embassy in Manila said Thursday.

They will land in Manila at 1 p.m., the embassy said in a statement.

The team, composed of 12 top Chinese doctors and nurses, have expertise in various fields such as critical care medicine, respiratory infection disease control and prevention, and traditional Chinese medicine.

China earlier offered to help the Philippines battle the disease as hospitals were swamped with COVID-19 patients and suspected cases.

China earlier sent protective gear and COVID-19 testing kits to the Philippines.

• Thousands of test kits, masks from China arrive in PH to aid COVID-19 fight

The Department of Health earlier said it would be preparing accommodations and translators for the team members who will share their experience in Wuhan, the central Chinese metropolis where COVID-19 first emerged late last year.

• Chinese doctors to help overwhelmed Filipino virus frontliners

As of Thursday, the Philippines confirmed 2,633 cases of the virus, with 51 recoveries and 107 deaths.

• COVID-19 cases in PH go up by 322; total at 2,633