"1,318 patients were released from hospital after being cured. 2,206 people who had had close contact with infected patients were freed from medical observation. Serious cases decreased by 235," NHC said.

"As of 24:00 on March 11, 80,793 reports of confirmed cases have been received and 3,169 deaths in 31 provincial-level regions on the Chinese mainland and the Xinjiang region, and in all 62,793 patients had been cured and discharged from hospital," it added.

There still remained 14,831 confirmed cases, including 4,257 in serious condition and 253 suspected cases. So far, 677,243 people have been identified as having had close contact with infected patients. 13,701 are now under medical observation. (ILKHA)