(Yicai Global) Feb. 6 -- Central China's Hubei province will step up its methods of detecting suspected coronavirus cases to ensure reliable results. 

Hubei province has added computed tomography scanning as a diagnosing method, Xinhua News Agency reported today. Before that, a nucleic acid test would suffice to confirm an infection.  

The new virus, which started spreading from the province with nearly 60 million residents in December, has infected over 28,000 people in China and killed 564 persons. 

Nucleic acid tests are not fully reliable as it takes more time to get to know and understand the virus, said Zhang Xiaochun, deputy director at the medical imaging department of Wuhan University's Zhongnan Hospital. 

Moreover, CT scans are faster and more effective than tests that use DNA so hospitals could adopt them more widely, said Zhang. However, if the tests come back with mixed results, the person should remain under quarantine, she added. 

Editor: Emmi Laine