Several cities in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province will start school winter vacations earlier than scheduled to prevent a relapse of the COVID-19 epidemic.

The cities of Harbin, Suihua and Yichun have changed the starting date of winter vacations to as early as Dec. 31, the provincial education department of Heilongjiang said Thursday, extending the break by about half month.

In Harbin, the provincial capital, primary and junior high school students, except those in the graduating year, will commence their winter vacation on Jan. 1. In Yichun, the starting date has been set at Dec. 31 for all primary and junior high school students.

Provincial educational authorities have also asked all schools and kindergartens to step up education about the epidemic and its prevention before the vacation.

The province on Thursday reported one new domestically transmitted COVID-19 case in the city of Dongning, said the city's COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control headquarters.