BEIJING — China's courier sector has resumed over 40 percent of its normal delivery capacity with over 2 million deliverymen racing against the ongoing epidemic.

Some 112 million parcels were collected by deliverymen on Feb 17, while more than 80 million were delivered, data from the State Post Bureau showed.

The country's major courier firms resumed services on Feb 10 after an extended Spring Festival holiday due to the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Delivery service is in high demand during the epidemic as many residents prefer making online orders and getting food and other products delivered to them. Telecom data showed that the courier sector is one of the earliest industries to resume operation.

Many courier firms are encouraging "non-contact delivery" to reduce contagion risks, with the deliverymen putting orders in a self-collection container or a pre-determined place.