Wuhan in Central China's Hubei province will restore normal medical order in some designated hospitals receiving patients with pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus by the end of this month, a local medical official said at a briefing in Wuhan on Thursday. 

As epidemic prevention and control work is going well, the demand for medical treatment of ordinary patients is becoming more prominent, said Bai Xiangjun, head of the medical treatment team of the Wuhan epidemic prevention and control group.

The city plans to gradually reduce the over 50 designated hospitals during the novel coronavirus outbreak to 10 hospitals that have abundant medical resources, Bai said.

The normal order of the vacated hospitals will be restored to meet the needs of other patients, he said.

The restoration of the first batch of 14 hospitals was finished on Tuesday. The second batch of 18 hospitals will be finished on Sunday. The third and fourth batches will be completed at month's end, according to Bai.

It is suggested that patients register online and go to the hospitals at the appointed time to avoid gathering and waiting. Patients also are encouraged to use online diagnosis and treatment, with a drugstore delivering medicine to their home directly, he added.