The National Health Commission holds a press conference on Saturday. (Photo: People's Daily)

The number of critical COVID-19 patients in hard-hit Hubei Province dropped below 100 for the first time, said the spokesperson of China's National Health Commission(NHC) when briefing the media on Saturday.

"We should maintain strict measures of self-protection and avoid congregation when some provinces reported new confirmed cases due to gatherings," said spokesperson Mi Fengtong, who is also the vice-director of publicity bureau of NHC.

"We should strengthen testing as a precaution against the virus and prioritize the prevention and control of important places, units and groups of people," added Mi.

(Compiled by Bai Yuanqi)