A medical worker receives a fever patient at the Shanghai No. 6 People's Hospital in Shanghai, on Jan 26, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

The central government will increase funds to subsidize medical employees who have close contact with people infected with the novel coronavirus, providing 300 yuan ($43.25) per person each day, according to a circular jointly released by the Ministry of Finance and the National Health Commission on Thursday.

People eligible for subsidies are those who directly contact with suspected cases of the novel coronavirus, or are at the work on diagnosis, treatment, nursing, nosocomial infection control, case sample collection and pathogen detection, the document explained.

For other employees participating in the virus prevention and control work, the central government will provide 200 yuan for each person per day. Local governments are required to pay the subsidies first, before the central authorities transfer funds to the local financial departments, the notice said.

That is a measure to support medical institutions and workers to contain the spread of infections amid the current coronavirus outbreak in Hubei, it said.

“The financial departments and the health departments at all levels, should implement the subsidy policies as soon as possible,” and ensure the funds for virus prevention and control can be allocated in a timely manner. The treatment and epidemic prevention work should not be delayed because of the shortage of funds, the two ministries urged.

The relevant fiscal expenditures “shall be strictly reviewed in time and reported to the National Health Commission and the Ministry of Finance”, the notice required.

As of 5 pm on Wednesday, central and local governments had allocated 27.3 billion yuan for epidemic prevention and control, the Ministry of Finance reported on Thursday morning.