China reports three new coronavirus cases a day after it recorded zero cases

China on May 23 recorded three new cases of the novel coronavirus, said the National Health Commission (NHC) in a statement. According to NHC, China recorded zero new cases a day earlier and the three new cases it registered on Saturday consisted of 1 indigenous case in Jilin province and 2 imported cases, 1 in Shanghai municipality, and 1 in Guangdong province. The NHC said that there were 36 new asymptomatic cases (including 4 imported cases) on May 23, of which 35 were freed from medical observation (including 2 imported cases) and no asymptomatic cases became confirmed cases.

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China has recorded 82,974 confirmed cases and 4,634 deaths in 31 provincial-level regions on the Chinese mainland and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps to date, and in all 78,261 patients had been cured and discharged from hospital, according to the National Health Commission. There are currently 79 confirmed cases (including 8 in serious condition) and 9 suspected cases in China as of May 24. 

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5,154 under medical observation

According to NHC, China has identified 742,045 people so far as having had close contact with infected patients, of which 5,154 are now under medical observation. If Chinese government data is to be believed, the country has successfully managed to flatten its curve with no new deaths since April 15. Health experts believe that the virus emerged from a seafood market in  China's Wuhan city, where exotic animals were reportedly being traded illegally. 

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(Image Credit: AP)