Wuhan, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus outbreak in China, has reopened 41 hospitals for patients with urgent medical needs that are not coronavirus-related, a local official said on Sunday.

Li Tao, deputy secretary-general of Wuhan city government, told a news conference on Sunday that these hospitals have started to treat pregnant women, children and patients with cardiovascular disease, those who need dialysis or have malignant tumor.

The city's novel coronavirus outbreak has become less serious, so it has transferred its medical resources to other patients and tried to gradually restore normal medical treatment, Li said at the news conference.

The city will gradually restore the basic medical services at community medical centers to meet its citizens’ needs and reopen community vaccination service for children and other people in need, he said.

Remaining novel coronavirus patients will be gradually transferred to 10 hospitals with better medical conditions, Li said, adding that the hospitals with no coronavirus patients will undergone sterilization and shift in layout and medical workers to restore normal medical treatment.