The Shanghai Municipal People’s Government has begun updating expat residents in real time about the novel coronavirus situation via a special column on the official website of the municipal Foreign Affairs Office, starting Saturday.

In the column, information from a daily press briefing about the epidemic situation in the city and reminders for infection prevention will be available in Chinese, English, French, Japanese and Korean, the city government said.

Yin Xin, a spokeswoman with the government, said expat residents can also dial 12345 starting Monday to inquire about preventing and containing the novel coronavirus. Service will be available from 8 am to 8 pm every day.

The Foreign Affairs Office of the Shanghai Municipal Government and the Shanghai People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries said on Saturday they received letters from diplomats representing their countries and people in charge of international organizations paying tribute to China for its determination and courage in fighting the epidemic, and their support for Chinese people in this battle.

“We are good friends with the lovely people of China and will stand with you in this difficult time, with our hearts close together,” consul general of Iran in Shanghai Ramazan Parvaz wrote in a letter.