China’s National Health Commission (NHC) said as of Wednesday, it had received 28,018 reports of confirmed cases of coronavirus infections and 563 deaths, while 1,153 patients had been cured and discharged from hospital.

There still remained 24,702 suspected cases. A total 26,302 patients were being quarantined for treatment, including 3,859 in serious condition, NHC said.

So far, 282,813 people have been identified as having had close contact with infected patients. More than 186,350 are now under medical observation.

NHC also confirmed 42 infections had been reported in the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions and Taiwan province: 21 in Hong Kong (1 death), 10 in Macao and 11 in Taiwan.

On February 5, 31 provincial-level regions on the Chinese mainland as well as the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps reported 3,694 new cases of confirmed infections (including 2,987 in Hubei province), 5,328 new cases of suspected infections (including 3,230 in Hubei province), 640 new serious cases (including 564 in Hubei province), and 73 deaths (70 in Hubei province, 1 in Tianjin, 1 in Heilongjiang province and 1 in Guizhou province).

About 261 patients were released from hospitals after being cured, including 113 in Hubei province. 21,365 people who had had close contact with infected patients were freed from medical observation.

Cruise ships quarantined

Meanwhile, more than 3,600 people were waiting on Thursday morning on board a cruise ship docked in Hong Kong, after eight travellers from mainland China tested positive for the virus, reported CNN.

Thousands of passengers remain untested however, as Hong Kong health officials continue to screen them, the report added.