BEIJING: Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan, who is very popular in China, has expressed concern over the coronavirus outbreak in the country that has claimed over 2,300 lives and advised people to take precautions and follow government's instructions in "this time of crisis".
Khan, 54, has become a household name in China due to the huge popularity of his movies such as "3 Idiots" and "Dangal".
The actor interacts with his Chinese fans through Weibo social media account which is akin to Twitter.
"A very warm hello to all my friends in China. Since I read about the outbreak of coronavirus over there, I have been extremely concerned," he said in a video message with Chinese subtitles posted on his Weibo account on Friday.
"I have been in touch with a few of my friends and I have been following this tragedy with a lot of pain in my heart. My heartfelt condolences to those who have lost somebody close," he said.
The death toll in China's novel coronavirus has gone up to 2,345 with 109 more deaths reported, while the confirmed cases have risen to 76,288, Chinese health officials said on Saturday.
Among the new deaths, 106 were from the Hubei Province, the epicentre of the virus, and one each from Hebei province, Shanghai and Xinjiang.
"I know that these are very difficult times. I am sure the administration is doing all that they can to bring back things to control and back to normal and the best that we can do at this time is to take care, take precautions, and follow the instructions of the administration and help them to help us," Khan said.
"I hope and pray that things get back to normal very soon in China. My thoughts and my prayers are with you in this time of crisis. Sending you all my love, take care, be safe, be healthy," he said.