China state planner says regions at low risk from virus must resume normal activities

Regions deemed low risk from the coronavirus outbreak should fully resume normal activities and end transportation bans, an official at China's state planning agency said on Tuesday.

Speaking at a news briefing, Ou Xiaoli said low-risk areas outside Hubei province should "completely restore work and life procedures", end all restrictions on transportation and help enterprises resolve funding and raw material problems.

High-risk areas, including those inside Hubei, the epicenter of the outbreak, must maintain "strict controls" until the epidemic is effectively curbed, while at the same time ensuring that firms in essential sectors continue to function normally, Ou said.