(Yicai Global) March 5 -- Shanghai confirmed a new case of the novel coronavirus today in a man who had traveled to the city from Iran, bringing the eastern megacity's total to 339, the Shanghai Health Commission said at a press conference.

The patient, a native of China's northwestern Qinghai province, had studied in Iran. He departed Tehran and arrived at the city's Pudong International Airport on March 2 after a layover in Bangkok, Thailand, said Zheng Jin, the commission's spokeswoman.

Upon arrival, he was sent to a complex dedicated for quarantine and observation. On March 3, he was transferred to a designated medical institution and confirmed as being infected with the Covid-19 today, she added.

This most recent patient was one of four travelers turned up by Shanghai Customs to come up positive in nucleic acid tests and undergo medical observation and quarantine. The other three have thus far exhibited no clinical symptoms and are still under close watch, according to the commission.

Fourteen others with close contacts with the four are also confined at quarantine and observation facilities.

Five more patients have recovered and left hospital today, bringing the total of discharged to 303. As of noon, the city had cleared 2,464 suspected cases, while another 34 were still undergoing further tests.

Editor: Ben Armour