Staff members take passengers' body temperature at Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, Jan. 21, 2020. The Chinese city Wuhan has taken a string of measures to tighten the control and monitoring of outbound travelers in an effort to curb the spread of new coronavirus-related pneumonia. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)

Wuhan announced on Tuesday that the city has scheduled 800 beds in three designated hospitals and will have 1,200 more ready in the shortest time possible.

WUHAN, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- Health authorities of the central Chinese city of Wuhan announced on Tuesday that the city has scheduled 800 beds in three designated hospitals and will have 1,200 more ready in the shortest time possible.

Peng Houpeng, deputy head of the municipal health commission, said five critical care zones have been set up in five local hospitals, with each closely watched over by 30 medical workers around the clock.

The first confirmed patient in Thailand had been cured and returned to China on Jan. 19, and was transferred to a designated hospital for further medical observation, Peng said.

A total of 18 close contacts, including the patient's son-in-law who accompanied him home, are also under medical observation.

The commission is now searching for close contacts of the second patient in Thailand and has so far tracked down three.

Four close family contacts of the confirmed patient in Japan have been found and put under medical observation, the commission said. ■