Chinese authorities have required the adoption of differentiated measures for county-level regions to curb the novel coronavirus outbreak based on each region's epidemic situation.

A circular, issued by the State Council's joint prevention and control mechanism, called for precise health monitoring of residents according to different risk levels.

The risk levels should be judged from people's travel and living records, health status and contact with epidemic cases, it explained

People of high infectious risk should stay quarantined in designated hospitals, and medium-risk personnel should quarantine themselves at home, said the circular, adding that people of low risk could resume work if their temperature is normal.

Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei Province, and other cities with traffic control policies in the province should limit personnel outflow with strict measures, according to the circular, and people from prefectures that have not implemented traffic control in Hubei should be quarantined for 14 days after arriving at their destinations.

The circular demanded medical institutions to find and check all suspected patients, and offer treatment to each confirmed case as early as possible.

Epidemic-related reports and disinfection should be improved in communities, workplaces, schools, public places, including shops and hotels, as well as rural areas, said the circular, adding that flexible working schedules should be promoted.