• The overall confirmed cases on the Chinese mainland had reached 66,492 by the end of February 14. A total of 1,523 people have died of COVID-19, and altogether 8,096 people have been discharged from hospital after recovery.

• China's new confirmed cases of COVID-19 outside Hubei have been dropping for 11 consecutive days.

• As of Friday midnight, altogether 217 medical teams and 25,633 medical workers have arrived in Hubei Province. Moreover, three mobile P3 laboratories have been sent there.

• As of Friday midnight, Chongqing had reported a total of 537 confirmed cases, combined by 380 currently hospitalized (31 severe cases and 19 critical cases), five deaths, and 152 discharged patients.

• Chongqing, online recruitment has more than 100,000 jobs.

A staff member is disinfecting a room where close contacts of COVID-19 lived before. (Photo by Huang Wei)

Chongqing - As of 24:00 local time on February 14, Chongqing had reported a total of 537 confirmed cases infected by the coronavirus disease that was discovered in 2019 (COVID-19), according to the Chongqing Municipal Health Commission Saturday. There are 380 currently hospitalized confirmed cases (31 in severe condition and 19 in critical condition), five deaths, and 152 discharged patients after recovery.

A total of 21,158 people who had close contacts with COVID-19 patients have been traced, 15,566 people have been released from medical observation, and 5,592 people are under medical observation.

Online recruitment

At present, Chongqing online recruitment has more than 100,000 jobs, involving medical equipment, computer communications, and warehousing and logistics, automobile manufacturing, textile, etc., according to Friday's press conference on epidemic prevention and control

14-day quarantine

Can a quarantine be lifted if a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test is negative?  According to Friday's press conference, a negative PCR test is not enough. A 24-hour interval after two negative test results is a must before the quarantine can be released.

Some public facilities temporarily closed

Chongqing has temporarily closed 750 direct drinking water facilities to eliminate uncontrollable factors.  Water supply companies have been instructed to make scientific dispatches, strengthen water management and water quality monitoring, and ensure sufficient water volume, stable water pressure, and good water quality.  The competent departments and water supply enterprises have implemented strict emergency management, further improved emergency plans, and made emergency preparations. A total of 593 parks have also been temporarily closed.

Waste masks treatment

Wared masks have been separately collected, transported, and treated. Chongqing has put 55,000 special collection containers for waste masks in place and operated 147 special transport vehicles to prevent secondary pollution. Altogether 281,500 medical masks sanitation workers have been distributed throughout the city.  So far, tens of thousands of these workers on duty and none of them are infected by COVID-19.

The overall confirmed cases on the Chinese mainland had reached 66,492 by the end of Friday, and 1,523 people had died of the disease, according to the National Health Commission (NHC) Saturday. A total of 8,096 people had been discharged from the hospital after recovery. By the end of Friday, 56 confirmed cases, including one death had been reported in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), 10 confirmed cases in the Macao SAR, and 18 in Taiwan. One patient in Hong Kong, three in Macao, and one in Taiwan have been discharged from hospital after recovery.

China's new confirmed cases of COVID-19 outside Hubei, the epicenter province in the outbreak, have been dropping for 11 consecutive days, according to the NHC.

As of Friday midnight, altogether 217 medical teams with 25,633 medical workers, military staff excluded, have arrived in Hubei Province and been offering medical help since COVID-19 outbreak, according to a news conference organized by the State Council Information Office in Hubei on Saturday. In addition, three mobile P3 laboratories have already been there to assist Hubei.

According to Xinhua news, Chinese authorities have issued a slew of measures to improve the working conditions and care for medical personnel at the frontline against the novel coronavirus pneumonia, a senior health official said at a press conference Friday. China had allocated 25.94 billion yuan (3.71 billion U.S. dollars) by Thursday to improve working conditions of medical staff fighting the novel coronavirus, said Ou Wenhan, the assistant finance minister, adding that the money was used to purchase medical equipment and protective materials and upgrade facilities in medical institutions.