Coronavirus control measures will continue despite progress, official says

Efforts to control and prevent the novel coronavirus outbreak in China will not slow down despite the progress made, minister of health said on Friday.

"Risks exist for the outbreak to rebound, and we must not relax," Ma Xiaowei said at a news conference organized by the State Council Information Office in Wuhan.

Various authorities must firmly contain the epidemic in Hubei province to prevent big outbreaks in other parts of China and contribute to global epidemic control, he said.

China has mobilized national resources to cope with the biggest public health crisis over the past 70 years, including sending more than 40,000 medical workers in more than 330 batches to Hubei province to help combat the disease and rescue lives, Ma said.

Consistent efforts have resulted in the progress of epidemic control, with increasing number of patients cured, he said. More than 36,000 patients across China have been cured and released from hospital as of present, he said.

The ministry will guide local authorities to draw different strategies on epidemic control in different regions, including Wuhan city, Hubei province and Beijing municipality, regarding their epidemic risks, Ma said.

Meanwhile, 19 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions will continue to provide support to cities in Hubei province other than Wuhan, its capital, to cure patients, he said.

Liang Wannian, head of an expert team organized by National Health Commission to cope with the epidemic, said at the same news conference that outbreaks of the virus have been contained in Hubei province, except Wuhan, with number of new cases in these cities falling greatly. Nationwide, outbreaks have also eased in general, he said.