Medical expenses of inbound visitors from overseas to Shanghai infected with the novel coronavirus will mostly be covered by the patients' insurance or the patients themselves if they don't have any related insurance, said the city's health authority on Sunday.

According to Zheng Jin, a spokeswoman with the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, people who are covered by the country's universal health insurance will have part of their bills paid as specified by the insurance policy. The rest of the amount, which according to the regulations was to be covered by individuals, will be covered by subsidy from the municipality.

Those who don't have the universal insurance will have to pay their own medical bills in the treatment of the virus infection. Those who buy commercial insurance are covered by their specific insurance companies, in accordance to the contract.

For those who don't have any medical insurance and are confirmed to have difficulty paying their bills will receive medical aid according to the law.

"Shanghai will follow the national policy on this issue," Zheng said on the routine press conference on the containment of the novel coronavirus outbreak in Shanghai.