BEIJING — China has released a work plan on psychological counseling for those affected by COVID-19 as the country sees positive signs in taming the epidemic.

The work plan, issued by the State Council interagency task force for epidemic control on March 18, called for sustained psychological counseling services especially for COVID-19 patients, their families, families of fallen patients, vulnerable groups, health workers and those fighting the virus in the front line including police officers and community workers.

A cross-department approach was suggested to help people overcome the psychological trauma brought by the epidemic, the work plan said, designating specific departments accountable for each measure it listed.

In hard-hit regions particularly Hubei and its provincial capital Wuhan, special work teams composed of mental health professionals, social workers, and volunteers should be set up for the purpose, according to the work plan.

The Chinese mainland reported no new confirmed indigenous cases of the novel coronavirus on March 18, the National Health Commission said in its daily report on March 19.