China will enhance prevention and control of the novel coronavirus epidemic in border areas, expand the scope of virus testing and push forward production resumption, according to those at a meeting presided over by Premier Li Keqiang on April 13.

Premier Li also is a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and head of the leading group on novel coronavirus prevention and control. Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and deputy head of the leading group, also attended the meeting.

It was stressed at the meeting that epidemic control measures should be adjusted in a timely manner to effectively prevent imported cases. Risks that may lead to epidemic rebound should be screened and removed to create conditions for comprehensively resuming production.

More efforts should be made to prevent imported cases. Strict measures will be continued at ports while minimizing unnecessary personnel flow. Port management, virus testing, patients’ transfer and quarantine should be well coordinated.

As border provinces face different pressures of epidemic control, medical experts should be tiered and dispatched to the frontline to support and guide epidemic control, building makeshift hospitals, and setting up quarantine centers and designated medical institutions, as well as treatment on patients.

The nation will support border regions and port cities by mobilizing resources to improve their capacities of testing for the virus and treating infections.

Those at the meeting required efforts to strengthen international cooperation, and intensify quality supervision of export medical supplies. Producers without qualification, those who do not meet standards, or bid up prices of epidemic prevention products and raw materials will receive harsh punishment according to laws.

Mentioning sporadic cases reported in some areas, those at the meeting urged continued preventive measures in residential communities, covering every household and every individual.

Chinese and foreign nationals will be treated alike to prevent the spread of the epidemic.

Practical measures must be taken to conduct epidemiological investigation and medical management of asymptomatic cases and their close contacts.

Efforts should be made to discover confirmed cases and asymptomatic cases in a timely manner in communities, fever clinics in medical institutions, and face-to-face epidemiological investigation, to ensure early detection, early reporting, early isolation and early treatment, those at the meeting said.

Local governments at all levels must be realistic and release epidemic-related information in an open and transparent way. They also should investigate and publicize the cumulative number of asymptomatic cases in a scientific way.

Stricter health checkups and health management were required for people leaving Wuhan, and the coverage of nucleic acid and antibody tests will be extended. These measures not only reassure the public, but also facilitate the flow of people and promote the comprehensive resumption of work and production.

People who are engaged in teaching activities, medical work, services in public places and transportation at their destination should all undergo nucleic acid tests, while other groups are encouraged to have the tests before leaving Wuhan.

Wuhan city should advance the investigation of seroepidemiology in asymptomatic patients as soon as possible, those at the meeting said.

If people who are leaving Wuhan show negative results in a nucleic acid test or positive results in previous serum-specific protective antibodies within 7 days before arriving at the destination, they can return to work or school normally; otherwise, they should strictly follow the requirements and regulations of epidemic prevention and control at their destination.

Those at the meeting also emphasized the importance of increasing scientific research efforts, improving testing capabilities, and shortening testing time.

Members of the leading group Ding Xuexiang, Huang Kunming, Cai Qi, Wang Yi, Xiao Jie and Zhao Kezhi also attended the meeting.