The airport in Wuhan, the city hardest-hit by the novel coronavirus in China, is expected to resume passenger and cargo flights on April 8, according to the local transport authority on Wednesday.

Wang Benju, deputy director of the Transport Department in Central China's Hubei province, where Wuhan is the capital, said at a daily briefing that the local authority also has been applying to the Civil Aviation Administration of China to reopen airports in other areas as soon as possible.

No airports in the province will allow international passenger flights, or flights to and from Beijing, he added.

Jiang Shun, deputy director of the Safety Supervision Administration of the provincial Civil Aviation Department, said risk assessments of all airports to resume operation have been conducted in advance, as well as the inspection and disinfection of all facilities and equipment.

Wang also noted that the Transport Department will spare no efforts to help people who have been stuck in the province due to the lockdown and not able to return to their home regions.

Stranded people in Wuhan holding a green health code, which means no contact with any infected or suspected coronavirus cases, will be allowed to leave the province by car, chartered bus or public transportation beginning April 8, while people in other areas can leave Hubei anytime.

The transport authorities will resume the operation of waterway traffic in an orderly manner, he said, adding that beginning Wednesday, all waterways in Hubei, except in Wuhan, will start to provide ferry services.