A man flies a kite in Xiqing District of Tianjin, north China, April 25, 2020. (Xinhua/Li Ran)

TIANJIN, April 29 (Xinhua) -- North China's Tianjin Municipality starting from Thursday will downgrade its public health emergency response for the COVID-19 epidemic from the top level to the second level, a local health official said Wednesday.

Gu Qing, deputy director of the municipal health commission, said at a press conference that the improving epidemic prevention and control situation in Tianjin has been further sustained, with the risk of transmission remaining overall controllable.

The decision was made after the city had seen no new confirmed local or imported COVID-19 cases for 62 consecutive days as of Wednesday.

Gu noted that Tianjin will step up efforts to promote the resumption of work and production and reopen schools, commercial facilities, tourist attractions and public places in an orderly manner.

Beijing and the neighboring Hebei Province also announced on the same day to lower their COVID-19 emergency responses from the top level to the second level from Thursday on. ■