According to the statement, as of Friday, 17, 988 suspected cases were reported and 136,987 close contacts of confirmed cases had been tracked, and among them, 118,478 are under medical observation while 6,509 such people were freed from observation on Friday.

1,347 new cases as well as 45 new deaths were reported in Hubei province, the center of the outbreak, on Friday. At the same time, there have been 6,738 confirmed cases, including 956 with severe symptoms and 338 in critical condition, who are receiving treatment in isolation at designated medical institutions, in the province. (ILKHA)