(Yicai Global) March 16 --The Chinese mainland yesterday reported 12 new imported cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), bringing the total number of imported cases to 123, the National Health Commission said today.

Of the 12 new imported cases, four were reported in Beijing, four in Guangdong province, two in Shanghai, one in Gansu provinceone and one in Yunnan province, according to the commission.

The commission received reports of 16 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection and 14 deaths yesterday on the Chinese mainland.

All the new deaths were reported in Hubei province, according to the commission.

Meanwhile, 41 new suspected cases were reported and 838 people were discharged from hospital yesterday after recovery, while the number of severe cases decreased by 194 to 3,032.

The overall confirmed cases on the mainland had reached 80,860 by the end of yesterday, including 9,898 patients who were still being treated, 67,749 patients who had been discharged after recovery, and 3,213 people who had died of the disease.

According to the commission, 134 people were still suspected of being infected with the virus.

The commission said that 680,462 close contacts had been traced, adding that among them, 1,316 were discharged from medical observation yesterday, with 9,582 others still under medical observation.

By the end of yesterday, 148 confirmed cases had been reported in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (including four deaths), 10 in the Macau Special Administrative Region and 59 in Taiwan (including one death).

Some 84 patients in Hong Kong, 10 in Macau and 20 in Taiwan have been discharged from hospital after recovery.

Editor: Xia Ruirui