Some 220 medical staff sent by nine countries were working in China's quake-hit areas, and they were very helpful, an official with the health ministry said in Beijing Tuesday.

The countries are, namely, Germany, Italy, Russia, Japan, Britain, France, Cuba, Pakistan and Indonesia, and China is grateful for their help, Chen Xianyi, director of the ministry's emergency response office, told a press conference.

(Xinhua News Agency May 27, 2008)