The number of people, who have been infected with a new coronavirus across mainland China, has reached 74,576, with 2,118 patients having died, the National Health Commission said on Thursday.
"The National Health Commission received information about 74,576 confirmed cases of pneumonia caused by a new type of coronavirus from 31 provinces [regions and municipalities], including 56,303 currently ill people. 11,864 people are in critical condition, 2,118 have died, 16,155 people have been discharged from hospitals," the commission said in a statement.
The new strain of coronavirus ? COVID-19 ? was first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan, located in the province of Hubei, in December and has since spread to more than 25 countries. In late January, the World Health Organization declared a global health emergency in light of the outbreak.