Latest developments in epidemic control on March 19 (1)

Here are the latest developments on the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in China:

— The Ministry of Civil Affairs has released a guideline requiring voluntary organizations to halt unnecessary, cross-region offline services amid the COVID-19 epidemic.

— The Ministry of Culture and Tourism will adopt appropriate and necessary measures to curb the cross-border spread of COVID-19 while paying close attention to the epidemic situation in other countries.

— Huanggang, a neighboring city of Wuhan which had reported the second highest number of confirmed cases at one point of the outbreak, discharged its last two COVID-19 patients on March 18.

— Nearly half of major industrial enterprises in Hubei had resumed work and production as of March 17.

— The State Post Bureau said it will continue to promote work resumption of the courier sector in Hubei, with more efforts made to ensure clear "green channels" and health check-ups for those working in the courier sector to prevent potential cluster outbreaks.

— Central China's Hubei province reported zero newly suspected case of the COVID-19 for two consecutive days, the provincial health commission said March 18.

The number of existing suspected cases has been reduced to zero as well after ruling out three suspected cases March 17.

— Hubei reported one newly confirmed case and 11 deaths March 17, bringing the total confirmed COVID-19 cases to 67,800, according to the provincial health commission on March 18. The newly confirmed case was reported in Wuhan, the provincial capital and epicenter of the outbreak in China.

As of March 17, Hubei had seen no newly confirmed COVID-19 cases for 13 consecutive days in its 16 cities and prefectures outside Wuhan.

— The National Health Commission said on March 18 it received reports of 13 newly confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection, including the one in Hubei and 11 deaths on the Chinese mainland on March 17.

All deaths were reported in Hubei province.

— A total of 922 patients of the COVID-19 were discharged from hospital on March 17 on the Chinese mainland, according to the National Health Commission. Altogether 69,601 patients had been discharged from hospital after recovery by the end of March 17.

As of March 17, a total of 80,894 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 had been reported on the mainland, and 3,237 people had died of the disease.

— The Chinese mainland reported 12 newly imported cases of the COVID-19 on March 17, bringing the total number of imported cases to 155, according to the National Health Commission.

Of the 12 newly imported cases, five were reported in Guangdong province, three in Beijing, three in Shanghai and one in Sichuan province, according to the commission.