BEIJING — Long-term care facilities in Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, have tested all residents for the virus and hospitalized those confirmed with infections, a senior official with the Ministry of Civil Affairs said on March 9.

Suspected cases found in these facilities including those for the elderly, children, people with mental issues and the homeless have all been isolated for medical observation and offered with necessary medical care, Zhan Chengfu, vice-minister of civil affairs, told reporters at a news conference in Beijing.

Civil affairs authorities have sent 118 professionals on elderly care to Wuhan to help nursing homes in the epicenter combat the virus, Zhan said.

Relief measures have also been put in place targeting people stranded in Wuhan after the outbreak and facing difficulties in their daily lives, according to him.

The ministry pledged to continue stringent containment measures in these facilities given the high risk for virus infections as the places have confined space and are densely inhabited by vulnerable people, Zhan said.