Coronavirus toll in China reaches 132

Chinese health authorities on Wednesday said the death toll due to the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak in the country has increased to 132, with 5,974 confirmed cases in 31 provincial-level regions.

The National Health Commission said that 1,239 patients remained in critical conditions, and 9,239 people were suspected of being infected with the virus as of Tuesday, reports Xinhua news agency.

A total of 103 people were discharged from hospital after recovery.

Tuesday saw 1,459 new confirmed cases, 3,248 new suspected cases, including one in Tibet Autonomous Region, and 26 deaths -- 25 in Hubei province, the epicentre of the outbreak) and one in Henan.

A total of 65,537 close contacts have been traced, the Commission said, adding that among them, 1,604 were discharged on Tuesday, with 59,990 others still under medical observation.

Meanwhile, eight confirmed cases were reported in Hong Kong, seven in Macao Special Administrative Region and eight in Taiwan.