Cities lower virus risk designations

Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, downgraded all its high- and medium-risk areas for coronavirus to low as of Monday.

"The city had reported no new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases since Jan 19," said Jiang Wenhong, deputy mayor, at a news conference on Sunday.

"Gaocheng district — the worst-hit area in the city — finished mass nucleic acid tests on Sunday, and all results have come back negative."

He added that public cultural venues, including libraries, museums, galleries and stadiums would resume operations.

As required by local government, the venues must keep the number of visitors on site below half their designed capacity.

The city will also resume dine-in service in restaurants, with regular ventilation and disinfection. Customers will also be screened for body temperature and must wear masks before entering restaurants.

Mi Zhiqi, director of the city's bureau of transportation, said that inter-provincial and intercity bus services will resume.

After showing an ID card and registration information, passengers will be allowed to enter and exit bus stations, provided they have a green health code and normal temperature.

Wangkui county in Suihua, Heilongjiang province, also changed its risk designation from medium to low starting on Monday, according to the city's epidemic prevention and control headquarters.

Nationwide, as of Monday, no high- or medium-risk areas were added recently.