WUHAN — Central China's Hubei province will lower its novel coronavirus emergency response from the highest to the second-highest level starting May 2, a local official announced on May 1.

Prevention and control measures against the epidemic will also be adjusted following the downgrading of the emergency response level, Yang Yunyan, deputy governor of Hubei, said at a press conference.

No new confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported in Hubei on April 30, the provincial health commission said on May 1.

This marks that Hubei, the once hardest hit Chinese province, has had no new confirmed COVID-19 cases for 27 consecutive days since April 4.

Hubei was cleared of confirmed COVID-19 cases on April 26.