China will enhance testing capacity of novel coronavirus disease and boost the recovery of production and people's lives, according to those at a meeting presided over by Premier Li Keqiang on April 16.

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.

Those at the meeting stressed the importance of epidemic control of border areas and port cities, asking to screen and eliminate all the hidden risks of infection from crowds gatherings, and step up production resumption.

At present, China still faces formidable tasks of epidemic control, with imported cases and local infections intertwined. Local governments need to enhance the sense of responsibility, increase testing capacity of nucleic acid and antibodies, and expand the testing scale, covering key people in key areas. This will benefit the people and also provide support for production resumption.

It is necessary to carry out scientific and precise prevention and control in communities and public places on a regular basis, those at the meeting said.

In addition, a closed-loop of screening-diagnosis-report-isolation must be implemented to contain the epidemic immediately and accurately once it is discovered.

More care should be given to people under quarantine, those at the meeting stressed.

When locally clustering infections occur, instant measures should be taken to find out the cause and cut off the transmission path. Particularly, loopholes in prevention and control in hospitals should be closed by protecting the medical staff and preventing cross infection.

Local governments at all levels must be realistic and release epidemic-related information in an open and transparent way.

In border areas, there should be clear priorities in epidemic prevention and control following the changing situation of the importation of the epidemic.

Border provinces should improve prevention and control plans in a targeted manner, making policies according to the situation of each city, implementing responsibilities, and shoring up weak links in prevention and control in border areas.

Besides deploying medical forces within border provinces, additional experts and medical forces from across the country will be sent, and medical experts specializing in critical illness and respiratory medicine will be transferred to support border areas and port cities, helping them improve their diagnosis and treatment capabilities, those at the meeting said.

Meanwhile, more work was urged to ensure personnel and supplies in epidemic prevention and emergency preparedness of test and quarantine sites, mobile cabin hospitals and designated hospitals.

According to those at the meeting, local governments should coordinate epidemic prevention and social and economic development, and promote work and production resumption in all fronts as epidemic prevention becomes regular.

With accurate prevention in place, those at the meeting asked for normal proceeding of economic activities, as well as circulation of personnel and materials, to create a better environment for development.

A report on epidemic prevention and production resumption in Wuhan after its lockdown was lifted was heard at the meeting, and further efforts were urged for the city in targeted control, treatment of serious cases, and normal resumption of medical services and economic and social order.

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