Restrictions to be adjusted based on real epidemic situation

China's relevant departments will adjust measures in line with the law on prevention and control of infectious diseases and the regulation on public health emergency based on the novel coronavirus outbreak situation, a senior official said on Friday.

Ding Xiangyang, deputy secretary-general of the State Council, China's Cabinet, made the remarks at a news conference in response to whether restrictions imposed due to the epidemic will be lifted step by step.

The number of confirmed and suspected cases in the epicenter, Wuhan, capital city of Hubei province, made up a large proportion of the whole country and the medical treatment burden is still big, even though the previously rapid growth of infections has lately stayed under control, Ding said.

Official statistics showed earlier on Friday that the Chinese mainland reported 143 new infections of the virus on Thursday, of which 126 were in Hubei.

"Winter has passed and spring has come. The day we're looking forward to should not be far away," Ding added.