China will make targeted efforts to strengthen the prevention and control of the novel coronavirus outbreak, according to a meeting presided over by Premier Li Keqiang.

Over 6,000 cases of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) have been confirmed in China, causing more than 130 deaths. 

The pneumonia outbreak was first reported in Wuhan City, central China's Hubei Province, in December.

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The epidemic is still spreading, making the situation complicated and severe despite the current containment efforts, the meeting pointed out.

The meeting called for more scientific and comprehensive approaches to curb the spread of the epidemic to win the battle against the novel coronavirus epidemic.

Such efforts in Hubei Province, which was hit hard by the novel coronavirus outbreak, should be further strengthened to treat patients, lower mortality, and improve the treatment of severe cases in cities around Wuhan, the meeting stressed, adding that community and rural epidemic prevention and control should be boosted.

It required that manufacturers that make protective gowns, face masks, goggles and medicines and other related factories to resume work. Donations at home and abroad should be accepted and distributed under the unified arrangement.

The supply of daily necessities should also be guaranteed, especially in the key areas, the meeting stressed.

Daily necessities supplies in Hubei remained generally stable, the Ministry of Commerce said Tuesday. It has built an efficient supply network of daily necessities across nine provinces in an effort to strengthen inter-provincial cooperation and coordination.

The Wednesday meeting underlined epidemic prevention and control plans for massive human migration as the Spring Festival ends. The Chinese government has already extended the week-long holiday by three days to February 2 to control the novel coronavirus outbreak.

To curb the disease, China has taken many other unprecedented moves on the national level, including extending the closure of businesses, postponing the spring semesters of schools and universities, and adopting transport restrictions in various areas.

The meeting also urged efforts to dispatch enough medical staff, medical supplies and daily necessities required for epidemic prevention and control in a timely manner, and increase imports of related materials.

(Cover image: A security staff member checks a passenger's temperature at Sanya Phoenix International Airport in south China's Hainan Province, January 27, 2020. /Xinhua photo)