China's downgrading of the novel coronavirus infection to a less serious category B disease does not mean the nation is abandoning all of its disease control measures, a senior health expert said on Tuesday.

Liang Wannian, head of the National Health Commission's COVID-19 response expert panel, said that new infections will likely increase and further strain hospitals soon after the downgrade, which will take effect on Jan 8, and China is stepping up its preparedness to address risks to ensure the smooth optimization of the policy and reduce the number of severe cases and deaths.

The change in the disease's classification also signals that "we are one step closer to exiting the epidemic," Liang said.

"The virus is still spreading globally. Domestic infections are rising, and different regions will experience infection peaks at different times," he added. "We should not let the virus run rampant, and we must implement more scientific and precise control measures to prevent overwhelming the medical system."