The Foreign Ministry on Monday rejected an extreme and irrational comment on the novel coronavirus outbreak in China, and called for the international community to understand the pandemic in a calm and rational manner.

Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at an online press conference that since the outbreak, many government officials and others from various countries have expressed sympathy, trust and support to China, and "their words and deeds touched us a lot and we will remember them."

"However, we also noticed some extreme and irrational remarks from individual countries and media, which we firmly oppose," Hua said, adding the international community should deal with the pandemic in a scientific and proper manner.

China stands ready to strengthen cooperation with various countries in an open, transparent and responsible way and make contributions to uphold regional and global public health security while protecting the lives and health of the Chinese people, she said.

US response to novel coronavirus outbreak isn't useful

The US government hasn't provided any substantive assitance to China by far, Hua Chunying said.

"But the US was the first country to evacuate staff members from its consulate in Wuhan, the first to suggest partial withdrawal of its embassy staff, and the first to announce entry restriction for all Chinese citizens," she said.

China understands and respects reasonable measures that most countries have taken according to the World Health Organization's advice, but the US, which has powerful prevention capacity, is running counter to the advice by adopting drastic moves, Hua pointed out.

Since the outbreak, the Chinese government has taken the most comprehensive and strictest measures to prevent and control the disease, many of which far exceed the requirements by the International Health Regulations, Hua said.

As of Sunday, 16 foreigners in China had been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus pneumonia, of whom two have been discharged from the hospital, Hua said. The other 14 are under isolated treatment and are in stable condition.