China's central authorities approved Friday further extending the Spring Festival holiday in the novel coronavirus hard-hit Hubei Province to curb the outbreak.
A meeting of the leading group of the Communist Party of China Central Committee on the novel coronavirus prevention and control agreed that Hubei would extend the holiday to an "appropriate extent." People in Hubei whose workplaces are outside the province were also granted an extended holiday and were asked to stay put.
The meeting was chaired by Premier Li Keqiang, who also heads the group.
For regions where the number of new confirmed cases is rapidly increasing or where big risks exist, necessary measures such as postponing starting dates of business and school may also be adopted following due legal procedures, said a statement issued after the meeting.
