WUHAN — Wuhan, once the hardest-hit city by novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), has been classified as a low-risk area of the outbreak as the city has met the criteria of no newly confirmed cases for the last 14 days, according to the latest assessment released on April 18 by local authorities.

By the end of April 17, the central province of Hubei, which administers Wuhan, has 76 low-risk cities and counties and none with high risk or medium risk, according to the provincial COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control headquarters on April 18.

Wuhan, the provincial capital, saw its last medium-risk district of Qiaokou classified as low-risk compared with the assessment on April 16. It had its coronavirus risk evaluation downgraded from high-risk to medium-risk on March 27.

On April 17, Hubei reported no newly confirmed COVID-19 cases and 33 asymptomatic cases.

According to the risk criteria defined in a guideline issued by China's State Council, cities, counties, and districts with no newly confirmed cases in the last 14 days are categorized as low-risk areas, those with fewer than 50 cases or those with over 50 but without a concentrated outbreak are classified as mid-risk areas, and those with over 50 cases as well as a concentrated outbreak are classified as high-risk areas.