Health official: epidemic at 'most critical moment'

A senior official at China's National Health Commission said Saturday that COVID-19 epidemic is "is at most critical moment" and remained a "top priority". Liang Wannian said it was a good sign that increased number of confirmed cases in or provinces has h a continuous decline for ten days, but in some areas of Hubei number is still rising fast.

Speaking at a joint news conference, new top health official of Hubei province, Wang Hesheng, said that Wuhan, city at epicentre of virus outbreak, will make more field hospitals to take on all confirmed and suspected infectants.

Speaking at a news conference, Wang ded that so far Wuhan has built nine field hospitals with over 6,900 beds.

He also said that more civil venues will be requisitioned for similar hospitals.

China reported Saturday a figure of 2,641 new virus cases, a major drop from higher numbers of past weeks and a result of implementation of a broer diagstic method.