Postal and express delivery service will gradually resume in Central China's Hubei province, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus outbreak in the country, and is likely to reach half of its full capacity by the end of this month, according to the State Post Bureau.

The provincial government was urged to draft localized plans for the resumption of businesses in the delivery industry during a teleconference held by the State Post Bureau on Tuesday.

The bureau will ensure the supply of protective gear and guide courier companies to cooperate with e-commerce platforms, in a bid to streamline delivery procedures.

As the general situation of the control and prevention work in Hubei shows positive signs, the provincial Civil Affair Department also said on Tuesday that it plans to gradually restart the marriage registration service soon, according to a notice on its official website.

Residents are supposed to make an appointment in advance via the department's official WeChat or website and present their appointment number and health code, a color code indicating physical condition, before registering for marriage, the notice said.