Former Wuhan Party chief tapped for epidemic control working group

Chen Yixin, former deputy Party chief of Hubei province and former leading official of Wuhan, has returned to the city, the epicenter of the ongoing novel coronavirus outbreak, to guide local disease prevention and control work after leaving Wuhan for about two years.

Chen, the incumbent secretary-general of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, has been appointed the deputy head of a central government group to guide the epidemic control work in Hubei province, according to a report posted by the commission on its official account on WeChat on Monday.

He arrived in Wuhan on Saturday and in the past two days has conducted extensive inspections to learn about the current situation in the city, the report said.

"After about two years, Chen has been entrusted with a special mission at a critical and difficult moment amid the ongoing epidemic of novel coronavirus pneumonia," it said.

Due to the urgent situation, Chen greeted local officials in Wuhan, many of whom are his former colleagues, in a special way. Instead of face-to-face meeting, Chen told leading officials of all districts in Wuhan in a WeChat group that he has always cared about the city, although he has been away for about two years, according to the report.

The report also released Chen's chat records.

"Now the CPC Central Committee has appointed me deputy head of the central group (to guide the epidemic control work in Hubei province)," he said. "We can fight together again."

Chen required local officials to fully implement the requirement from the central government to race against time and admit all people who need medical assistance to medical facilities.

"This is a clear requirement from General Secretary Xi Jinping, and an order that we have to resolutely and fully implement," he said, adding that the move is also the key to stopping the spread of the virus and winning the battle.

Confirmed patients, suspected patients, people with fever and close contacts will receive different types of medical treatment and quarantine. All people with serious symptoms must be hospitalized, he wrote, stressing that it is the bottom line and there is no room for bargaining.

Chen required all districts to report their work progress, including difficulties, to the provincial and city headquarters of disease prevention and control every hour, and encouraged officials to go to the frontline to assistant work.

Those who do not complete tasks will be held accountable, he said.