Huanggang, one of the hardest hit cities in the novel coronavirus outbreak, locked down all residential communities at midnight Thursday, officials said

The measure is taken to "completely cut off the transmission of the epidemic" a circular published by the city's prevention and control command said.

A total of 2,662 of Huanggang's residents have been infected with the virus by Wednesday night and 58 have died.

The circular said, however, people engaged in the epidemic control work and those responsible for providing assistance, including medical workers, medicine or supply providers and food deliverers, are exempted from the lockdown.

A ban also will be imposed on vehicles on the city's streets, but working vehicles, including medical rescue and transport of vital supplies, will be exempted.

Village or community committees will organize the distribution of daily necessities and also will help purchase materials urgently needed residents, the circular said.

Meanwhile, all party members and public servants have to follow the direction of health officials and help the coordination of local efforts to combat the virus.

All patients with fever and those who have had close contact with the infected patients will be quarantined in designed locations, officials said added.

The circular said the lockdown will last for at least 14 days. It will be lifted only when spread of the virus is contained and no longer poses a public health threat.

Huanggang is not alone in increasing epidemic control in Hubei province.

Also on Thursday, Dawu county of Xiaogan city also announced that it will follow the lead of Zhangwan district in Shiyan city by launching a wartime control order, starting at the midnight.

Xiaogan, which oversees Dawu, is also one of the worst hit cities in Hubei province. As of Wednesday midnight, 2,874 cases of infection have been confirmed in the city and 238 of them are in Dawu.

Measures adopted in Dawu are even stricter than that in Huanggang. Residents cannot go out of their buildings unless they are part of the epidemic control work or are in business related to people's livelihoods.

Those who break into warning or guard facilities set in communities or buildings will be detained, the Dawu government said.

People will be dispatched for all communities to help residents purchase daily necessities and medicine from designated supermarkets and drugstores, which will only open to those appointed to make purchasers for others.

"Such purchasers will at least serve each household once every three days, but need to meet needs arising from emergency situation in a timely manner," the Dawu government said.