Over 71.1 percent of restaurants in Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province have resumed operation, ranking first among 36 major cities nationwide, according to a report released by Meituan, one of China's biggest takeout platforms, on March 12.

Ningbo topped the list, followed by Hangzhou, Nanning, Guangzhou, Fuzhou, Xiamen, Xining, Kunming, Shenzhen and Shenyang.

In Ningbo, the counties of Yuyao, Xiangshan and Cixi made up the top three counties in the city.

The catering industry, dominated by small, medium and micro-sized enterprises, has a major effect on the daily lives of residents.

The fact that the majority of restaurants have resumed operation in Ningbo is a reflection of how well the local government has handled the slow-down caused by the epidemic, noted Zhong Yongjian, general secretary of Meituan.

As of March 9, all patients diagnosed with novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) have recovered and been discharged from hospitals in Ningbo.

The city had reported 157 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Feb 21, but has since seen no new cases.

Zhong attributed the strong results to local authorities' efforts to curb the spread of the epidemic and prioritize the resumption of the catering sector.

Governments at different levels have rolled out a string of measures to ensure the orderly resumption of catering and other life service sectors.

The measures include compiling a list of key catering enterprises and the negative list of the industry, offering free face masks and issuing passes for transportation.

A report released by Meituan, one of China's biggest takeout platforms, on March 12 shows 71.1 percent of restaurants in Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province have resumed operation, ranking first among 36 major cities nationwide. [Photo/cnnb.com.cn]