China's National Health Commission Monday vowed to take preventive and control measures against Category A infectious diseases to effectively battle pneumonia caused by novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).

Read more: The novel coronavirus outbreak explained

Pneumonia has been classified as a Category B infectious disease which can be quarantined at the borders, read an announcement released by the Commission.

As of Tuesday, 219 cases of pneumonia caused by novel coronavirus have been confirmed in Chinese cities, including Wuhan, Shanghai and Beijing. Cases have also been reported in Japan, Thailand and South Korea.

Medical staff are at the forefront in the prevention and control of the epidemic stemming from the new type of coronavirus that was first reported in Wuhan City, central China's Hubei Province, in December 2019, where it might have originated at a seafood market.

Read more: New coronavirus update: Human-to-human infection confirmed

Chinese President Xi Jinping orders resolute efforts to curb coronavirus epidemic