China reports no new domestic coronavirus cases for first time: NHC

For the first time after the deadly coronavirus broke out about three months ago in Wuhan, China on Thursday (March 19) said that no new domestic cases of the COVID-19 were confirmed, including in the virus epicentre, even as eight more fatalities have been reported, taking the death toll in the country to 3,245.

China’s National Health Commission (NHC) in its daily report said that no new domestically transmitted cases of the novel coronavirus disease were reported on the Chinese mainland on Wednesday.

However, a total of 34 new COVID-19 cases were reported on the Chinese mainland on Wednesday, all of which were from those arriving from abroad, marking a sharp increase, it said.

Of the 34 newly imported cases, 21 were reported in Beijing, nine in Guangdong Province, two in Shanghai, one in Heilongjiang Province and one in Zhejiang Province, the NHC said.

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Capital of the central Hubei Province Wuhan, which bore the brunt of the coronavirus since the outbreak originated in December last year, also reported zero cases on Wednesday, marking a notable first in the city’s months-long battle with the deadly virus.

The Health Commission of Hubei Province said the total confirmed cases of the coronavirus disease in Wuhan and Hubei remained at 50,005 and 67,800 respectively on Wednesday with no confirmed cases.

Also on Wednesday, eight deaths and 23 newly suspected cases were reported on the mainland. All deaths were reported in Hubei Province, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The overall confirmed cases on the mainland had reached 80,928 by the end of Wednesday.

This included 3,245 people who died of the disease 7,263 patients and 70,420 patients discharged after recovery.

The NHC said the number of imported cases in China rose to 189 with 34 confirmed cases from the people arriving from abroad.

China has reported a total of 80,928 confirmed cases of the COVID-19, of which 3,245 have died and 70,420 patients were discharged after treatment.

By the end of Wednesday, 192 confirmed cases including four deaths had been reported in Hong Kong, 15 confirmed cases in the Macao and 100 in Taiwan including one death, the NHC said.

The coronavirus outbreak has killed 8,809 people and infected 21,8631 across 157 countries and territories, according to a tracker maintained by Johns Hopkins University.