(Yicai Global) Feb. 10 -- As businesses get back to work across China after an extended 17-day Chinese New Year holiday due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, people are flooding back to urban areas from their hometowns and cities are remaining on high alert to ensure that adequate epidemic prevention and control measures are in place.

With the exception of Hubei province, the disease's epicenter, the rest of China had arranged as of yesterday for companies to resume work and production, according to Chen Da, deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission's Department of Economic and Trade.

In Shanghai's Lujiazui Financial District, more than 250 office buildings will reopen for business. To reduce the risk of cross infection, some of them have arranged for employees to have meals and to use the elevators at different times.

Enhanced disinfection of buildings and good management of dining safety is needed, said Gu Honghui, deputy secretary general of the Shanghai government. Businesses should set up a daily reporting system, he added.

The unemployed and people who do not have a place to stay in Shanghai will be discouraged from coming to the city, said Yang Xiaoxi, deputy director of the local government's transportation commission.

The 7,000-plus firms in Beijing's Zhongguancun Science Park, all of Hangzhou's courier companies and more than 400 large industrial enterprises in Chengdu, Sichuan province are already back to work. Many companies have assumed flexible work models, allowing some employees to carry on from home.

There will be restricted access to residential areas in Beijing, the city government's information office announced on its Weibo account today. Visitors and vehicles can only enter with a permit, everyone must wear face masks and have their temperature taken on entry.

Similarly, access to all residential communities in Shenzhen will be controlled to prevent the spread of the epidemic, the municipality said yesterday.

Editor: Kim Taylor