BEIJING — China's health authority has required the country's fever clinics to be able to respond to major epidemic outbreaks.

According to a document issued by the National Health Commission (NHC), fever clinics across the country must function 24 hours every day, and doctors cannot refuse to treat or accept any patients.

Any patient visiting a fever clinic must take a nucleic acid test and be treated under a completely closed procedure, the NHC said.

The NHC stressed that fever clinics should be located in independent buildings or in independent areas physically separated from other areas in the hospital.