(Yicai Global) March 10 -- Chinese health authority said today it received reports of 19 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection and 17 deaths yesterday on the Chinese mainland.

The 17 deaths were all reported in Hubei province, according to the National Health Commission.

Also yesterday, two imported cases of novel coronavirus infection were reported, including one in Beijing and one in Guangdong province. By the end of yesterday, 69 imported cases had been reported, said the commission.

Meanwhile, 36 new suspected cases were reported and 1,297 people were discharged from hospital yesterday after recovery, while the number of severe cases decreased by 317 to 4,794.

The overall confirmed cases on the mainland had reached 80,754 by the end of yesterday, including 17,721 patients who were still being treated, 59,897 patients who had been discharged after recovery, and 3,136 people who had died of the disease.

According to the commission, 349 people were still suspected of being infected with the virus.

The commission said that 675,338 close contacts had been traced, adding that among them, 4,148 were discharged from medical observation yesterday, with 16,982 others still under medical observation.

By the end of yesterday, 115 confirmed cases had been reported in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (including three deaths), 10 in the Macau Special Administrative Region and 45 in Taiwan (including one death).

Some 60 patients in Hong Kong, 10 in Macau and 15 in Taiwan have been discharged from hospital after recovery.

Editor: Xia Ruirui