As of 24:00, February 23rd, Guangdong had confirmed 3 new cases, pushing the total number of infected patients to 1345.

Dongguan confirmed 2 cases, while Yangjiang reported 1 case on February 23rd.

The 30th press conference on Guangdong's fight against the coronavirus (COVID-19) was held in Guangzhou today.

This morning, the province lowered the public health emergency level from level Ⅰ to level Ⅱ.

“The decision was based on relevant laws and the continuous decline of new cases in Guangdong and across the country for 21 days, except for Hubei Province,” said Chen Zhusheng, Deputy Director-General of the Health Commission of Guangdong Province.

“The downgrade shouldn’t be taken lightly.” Chen stressed before adding, “The situation in Guangdong is still at a critical stage, and the emergency level will be adjusted dynamically in the future according to the actual situation.

[PhotoCao Yaqing]

"Non-locals who return to Guangdong, should report their health information to their communities immediately," Chen said.

Guangdong is ensuring smooth running of the communication network for medical institutions and departments relating to epidemic prevention.

"Soon after the outbreak, Guangdong set up a special network for designated hospitals, and daily checks and troubleshooting are conducted to facilitate the efficient exchange of information," said Su Shaolin, Director-General of the Guangdong Communications Administration. "

To help students continue to study at home, three telecommunication service providers: Telecom, Mobile and Unicom have opened free online courses for students at all levels.

Furthermore, Guangdong will speed up the construction of the 5G network this year, and plans to add 50,000 5G base stations, so as to let 5G serve all cities, ensuring full coverage in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, according to the Guangdong Communications Administration and thenGuangdong Branch of China Tower, a 5G construction company.

 

Authors: Hannah & Steven

Editors: Simon & Keane