Hubei/Wuhan/doctor/hospital Photo: Xinhua

China's unprecedented public health responses to the COVID-19 outbreak have yielded notable results in blocking human-to-human transmission of the virus, preventing or at least delaying hundreds of thousands of cases, said a joint expert team consisting of experts from China and the World Health Organization.

The assessment was given at a press conference on Monday in Beijing after the 25-member team conducted a nine-day field study trip in China.

China has also played a critical role in protecting the international community, buying precious time for countries to adopt active prevention and control measures and providing them with worthwhile experience, the team said.

China is taking prudent, phased and orderly steps to gradually restore order in social, economic, education and healthcare sectors, it said, adding that other countries should swiftly reassess the measures taken toward China.

Noting that the novel coronavirus is a new pathogen, the team said more information is needed to better understand the transmission dynamics and the severity of the disease, adding that global prevention and control work still faces severe challenges.