Entrusted by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Premier Li Keqiang on Monday inspected efforts to prevent and control the novel coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province.
Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of a leading group of the CPC Central Committee on the prevention and control of the novel coronavirus outbreak, extended regards to the medical workers at the frontline on behalf of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council.
He required local authorities to spare no effort in the epidemic prevention and control work, which is of paramount importance, reducing both the incidence rate and mortality rate to safeguard people's lives and health.
"Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core, we must fight resolutely to win the battle against the epidemic", Li said.
Upon arriving in Wuhan, Li went to the Jinyintan Hospital which has the largest number of infected and severely ill patients. He talked to medical workers in an ICU via a video call and then chatted with doctors and nurses coming from across the country and the military, urging them to go all out in treating the patients and pay attention to their own protection.
He ordered sending more medical personnel, especially nurses, and medical supplies to Wuhan.
Li called for speeding up the construction of Huoshenshan Hospital, a makeshift hospital for treating patients infected with the novel coronavirus, while visiting the construction site.
Li urged the workers to race against time to finish building the hospital as a "safety island" for the patients.
"We must use every possible means to admit all the patients (into the hospital)," Li said, urging efforts to protect the construction workers against infection.
Li also assured people in a local supermarket that the country, with its ample reserves and measures such as the "green passages," will ensure adequate market supply and stable prices in Wuhan.
Visiting a lab in the Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Li urged the researchers to speed up the research on the novel coronavirus.
He then called a meeting to make further arrangements on the epidemic prevention and control work in a more law-based, scientific and targeted manner, saying that progress in Wuhan will give people around the country confidence.
Wuhan will be assisted with additional 2,500 medical workers and 20,000 pairs of protective goggles, Li said, noting that the medical workers, especially nurses, will arrive within two days and the goggles can be expected on Monday afternoon.
Relevant departments will take multiple measures to ensure the supplies of protective gowns, Li said.
