Authorities across China will intensify health monitoring of migrant workers who have returned to rural areas — especially those from Wuhan — to prevent the novel coronavirus from spreading to rural areas, a top health official said on Sunday.

Local governments should intensify health screenings of migrant workers from Wuhan for suspected cases such as those displaying fever or cough, Li Bin, vice-minister of the National Health Commission, said at a news conference organized by the State Council Information Office.

Grassroots medical institutions should set up special fever clinics to provide convenient services for patients and send suspected cases of the virus to designated hospitals for diagnosis and treatment in a timely manner, he said.

Local authorities should also improve publicity and education for migrant workers who have returned to rural areas for the Spring Festival holiday, so they improve disease prevention and control awareness and voluntarily go to hospitals or clinics for diagnosis and treatment if they develop symptoms of virus infection, Li said.

The seven-day Spring Festival holiday, which started on Friday this year, is the most important traditional festival in China, with hundreds of millions of migrant workers returning home every year for family reunions.