Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province. (Photo via China's government website)

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Thursday saving lives is a priority while visiting the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as the country fights a spreading coronavirus outbreak.

Li also inspected the latest research on the new coronavirus, and chaired a seminar of experts discussing ways to contain the contagion. He urged experts to continue searching for the source of the virus and make suggestions on how to better deal with the outbreak.

During his inspection, Li praised the medical staff working at the frontline and stressed the need for the central government and local officials to keep the public updated.

A central government group has been designated to Wuhan, the center of the outbreak, to guide epidemic control work.

As the leader of the group, Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan Thursday paid a visit to the medical staff in the city.

She stressed that effective measures should be taken to ensure the safety of medical workers who are risking their lives to treat patients. She also urged better coordination to ensure medical supplies reach medical professionals as soon as possible.