Efforts to tackle situation at critical juncture, says China

BEIJING • China is at a critical juncture in its efforts to control and prevent the novel coronavirus outbreak, a senior health official said yesterday.

Mr Ma Xiaowei, director of the National Health Commission (NHC), said at a press conference that the one-week Chinese New Year holiday from last Friday to this Thursday is the best time to allow massive isolation and disinfection efforts to have an impact.

Recent clinical results showed that the infected are passing on the virus to more people than first thought, but studies are still needed to understand why, he said, adding that preventive and control measures taken in Wuhan are playing an important role.

"The outbreak is still in the early stage," Mr Ma said. "With strict measures taken by various localities in the country, we will be able to curb the spread of the virus with lower costs and at a faster speed."

The new coronavirus broke out first in the city of Wuhan in central China's Hubei province and then quickly spread across the country. By the end of last Saturday, a total of 56 people had died, mostly in Hubei, and 1,975 cases had been confirmed.

Mr Ma urged the strengthening of community-based prevention and control work across the country and strict management of people who have in the last 15 days travelled to other parts of the country from Wuhan.

He also stressed efforts to strengthen monitoring and preventive measures to contain the possible spread of the virus in rural areas.

The transportation system is a possible way that the virus is being transmitted, said Vice-Minister of Transport Liu Xiaoming, noting that travel restrictions imposed on some cities are necessary because they can effectively cut off the transmission of the virus.

After Wuhan announced the suspension of public transport in the city as well as the closing of the airport and railway stations to outgoing passengers last Thursday, multiple cities in Hubei and other provinces followed suit.

Shanghai and Beijing also announced traffic restrictions.

Wuhan will have nearly 5,000 additional beds for patients in the following three days, Mr Ma said. China will place severely ill patients with the novel coronavirus in the best hospitals and treat them with the best medical resources, Mr Ma said.

The Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said earlier that it has started developing vaccines against the novel coronavirus. The country has stepped up efforts on global exchange and cooperation by providing timely information to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Mr Ma said, adding that China has also shared technological information and the full genome sequence of some virus strains with the WHO.

To further ensure transparency, the NHC will arrange daily press briefings on the outbreak starting today, and similar press briefings will be held in Hubei and other severely affected regions, according to the State Council Information Office.

Last Saturday, 13 provincial-level regions, including Xinjiang, Qinghai, Gansu, Henan and Shandong, joined 17 others to activate a first-level public health emergency response to the epidemic situation, with government employees in the health sector cancelling their Chinese New Year holiday and returning to their posts.

Beijing's education authorities said yesterday that kindergartens, primary and middle schools and universities in the city will postpone the opening of the spring semester.

The Finance Ministry last Thursday allocated 1 billion yuan (S$195 million) to support Hubei's battle against the disease. Over two million masks and related products are also set to be provided for Wuhan.

Measures have also been taken in rural areas nationwide to prevent the disease. Many citizens cancelled their trips home. In some regions, visiting relatives - a Chinese New Year tradition - was not encouraged this year. Large banquets for weddings were cancelled or postponed.

XINHUA