SHANGHAI, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- Shanghai on Monday postponed the resumption of work and school openings to reduce people gathering and block the spread of the coronavirus epidemic.

The decision was made after the State Council, China's cabinet, extended the seven-day Spring Festival holiday, scheduled to end on Jan. 30, to Feb. 2 and postponed the opening of the spring semesters.

All kinds of local enterprises, except those in the sectors such as utilities, medical appliances and drugs, supermarkets and food, shall not resume their work earlier than the midnight of Feb. 9, Shanghai's authorities said during a press conference on Monday afternoon.

Schools at all levels, including universities, primary and middle schools and kindergartens, shall not open before Feb. 17. The specific date will be announced later.

Two more patients infected with the novel coronavirus in Shanghai have been cured and were discharged from hospitals on Monday, raising the number of cured and discharged in the city to three, Gu Honghui, deputy secretary general of the Shanghai municipal government told the press briefing.

By midnight Sunday, Shanghai had confirmed 53 cases of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus, including one dead, one cured and two in critical condition.