(Yicai Global) March 15 -- The Chinese mainland yesterday reported 16 new imported cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), bringing the total number of imported cases to 111, the National Health Commission said today.

Of the 16 new imported cases, five were reported in Beijing, four in Zhejiang province, three in Shanghai, three in Gansu provinceone and one in Guangdong province, according to the commission.

The commission received reports of 20 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection and 10 deaths yesterday on the Chinese mainland.

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

Meanwhile, 39 new suspected cases were reported and 1,370 people were discharged from hospital yesterday after recovery, while the number of severe cases decreased by 384 to 3,226.

The overall confirmed cases on the mainland had reached 80,844 by the end of yesterday, including 10,734 patients who were still being treated, 66,911 patients who had been discharged after recovery, and 3,199 people who had died of the disease.

According to the commission, 113 people were still suspected of being infected with the virus.

The commission said that 679,759 close contacts had been traced, adding that among them, 1,409 were discharged from medical observation yesterday, with 10,189 others still under medical observation.

By the end of yesterday, 141 confirmed cases had been reported in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (including four deaths), 10 in the Macau Special Administrative Region and 53 in Taiwan (including one death).

Some 81 patients in Hong Kong, 10 in Macau and 20 in Taiwan have been discharged from hospital after recovery.

Editor: Xia Ruirui