The central Chinese province of Hubei which was worst-hit in the coronavirus outbreak in the country will lower its emergency response from the highest to the second-highest level from Saturday.
The novel coronavirus first emerged after a zoonotic event from the provincial capital, Wuhan, late last year.
Hubei would be the last province in China to lower the emergency level.
Beijing authorities too lowered the city’s risk-level earlier this week after no new infection was reported for more than two weeks.
As the Chinese capital prepares to host the nation’s highest-profile political meeting, the annual parliamentary Two Session, later in May, the city has relaxed quarantine requirements for domestic travellers from Thursday (April 30).
The easing, however, does not apply to overseas visitors.
In Hubei, prevention and control measures against the epidemic will be adjusted following the downgrading of the emergency response level, Yang Yunyan, deputy governor of Hubei, was quoted as saying by official news agency, Xinhua, as saying at a press conference in Wuhan on Friday.
Yang said Hubei, which reported more than 67000 Covid-19 infections, the most in China, hasn’t had a new confirmed case since April 4.
The province also reported over 3200 deaths, the most in the 4643-death toll in China.
Overall, China has reported more than 84000 cases of Covid-19.
All cities and counties in the province were designated as low risk zones on April 18, Yang said, adding that on April 26, all hospitalised cases were cleared from Wuhan.
The emergency and routine control measures in the whole region effectively reduced and controlled the outbreak, the official said. “
After more than three months of precise and tight prevention and control, the virus spread is “basically cut off” in Hubei, Yang said.
The authorities of the Chinese provinces of Hubei and Guangdong in south China were the first to declare a first-level public health emergency because of the outbreak on January 23.
The first-level public health emergency meant mobilisation of personnel, government departments and enterprises in fighting against the outbreak, as well as using all necessary materials and resources.
In order to prevent the spread of the outbreak, local governments canceled public events, suspended the operation of companies and educational institutions, restricted access to potentially dangerous areas and made temporary requisitions for houses, cars, equipment and other resources.
Local authorities also fully restricted the freedom of movement and migration, putting in place epidemiological screening for people and transport and put thousands of residents in quarantine if they are suspected to have contracted the virus.
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