BEIJING, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- A circular issued by the joint prevention and control mechanism of the State Council has called for better measures to ward off the novel coronavirus in the country's civil affairs service facilities, including elderly care, childcare and mental health institutions.

Asking these institutions to guard against "cluster of infections," the circular called on them to better manage entry and exit of their staff and residents, reinforce medical and nursing personnel, prepare more prevention and control materials and supervise the protective measures of their staff and residents such as wearing masks and hand hygiene.

Civil affairs service facilities were also asked to take early action to locate, report, quarantine and hospitalize patients infected or suspected of being infected with the virus.

Elderly care and childcare facilities should offer help to special groups of people in need amid the virus outbreak, such as elderly people under self-quarantine and elderly people and children whose family members are under quarantine, according to the circular.