Local officials will be held accountable to ensure there is not a single confirmed or suspected coronavirus patient staying home after the screening deadline, said Wang Zhonglin, Party chief of Wuhan in Hubei province, during a video conference on Tuesday. 

Wednesday is the last day of the citywide screening campaign for confirmed and suspected patients. By Thursday all cases, including those in close contact with infected patients, must be recorded and receive nucleic acid tests for the virus, he said. 

Wang pointed out some district officials were carrying out the inspection diligently, while some were slacking off. All district officials must promise to leave no confirmed or suspected cases at home. "This is a matter of life and death," he said. "If we find one more such patient (after the deadline), the top district officials will be held accountable." 

"Without knowing (the exact number of patients), it is unreasonable to win the war against the epidemic," Wang said. "The situation is still challenging, and we must keep a clear head and not be overly optimistic."

Wang said there are many confirmed patients still living in dedicated quarantine areas without proper treatment. "As time goes on, their condition may turn critical," he said, adding the purpose of the citywide inspection is to save lives. 

All confirmed and suspected patients should be transferred from their homes or quarantine areas to hospitals and be treated. Patients who refuse to be transferred will be handled in accordance with law, he said. 

Any lapse in prevention efforts will create a massive risk for public health and slow down the progress of eliminating the epidemic in Wuhan, Wang said.