BEIJING — China has stepped up efforts to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Here are the latest developments:

— The National Supervisory Commission has decided to dispatch an inspection group to Wuhan, center of the epidemic in central Hubei province, to thoroughly investigate issues related to Dr Li Wenliang, an ophthalmologist who passed away on Feb 7 after being infected with the virus.

— The genome sequence of the novel coronavirus strain separated from pangolins was 99 percent identical to that from infected people, indicating pangolins may be an intermediate host of the virus, a study has found.

— No new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection had been reported in Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region by Feb 6 since the region reported its first case on Jan 30.

— Starting from Feb 7, Shanghai will put individuals on a credit blacklist for concealing novel coronavirus-related symptoms or violating quarantine.

— North China's Tianjin municipality has asked all residential communities to strictly control the flow of people as part of epidemic prevention and control efforts.

— Hubei province, center of the novel coronavirus epidemic outbreak, is now able to conduct up to 10,000 nucleic acid tests per day.

— A total of 10,596 medical workers have been sent to Hubei to assist novel coronavirus control. Local authorities said another 2,250 medical practitioners are still needed, especially those from the respiratory, critical care and infectious departments.

— Chinese authorities asked businesses outside Hubei province to resume operation in an orderly manner while continuing to fight the novel coronavirus outbreak.

— Chinese health authorities received reports of 3,143 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection and 73 deaths on Feb 6 from 31 provincial-level regions and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.