A meeting of top officials in Hangzhou convenes to discuss work on preventing and controlling the new coronavirus on Jan 21. [Photo/zj.zjol.com.cn]

A meeting of top officials in Hangzhou convened to discuss preventing and controlling the new coronavirus on Jan 21.

The meeting was chaired by Zhou Jiangyong, Party secretary of Hangzhou, and it was stressed that the top priority is safeguarding life and social stability.

Governments at all levels must work to prevent the transmission of the virus and ensure that ineffective leadership does not contribute to its spread. 

All government departments were urged at the meeting to implement national and provincial solutions for containing the virus. 

Hospitals are required to share medical resources and improve management systems for patients with fever, and people who have close contact with patients diagnosed with the new coronavirus should be monitored.

Screenings in populous areas should be enhanced to make sure all cases are handled quickly and efficiently. 

It was also decided at the meeting that public sanitation should be improved and the illegal trade of wild animals in agricultural markets should be prevented. 

The transparency of media reports was also an important issue at the meeting. Officials said that reports on the latest developments should be carried out in a timely and factual manner. They also said that the publicity of scientific anti-virus measures and relevant policies should be enhanced.