Shanghai reports an imported case of COVID-19

The Shanghai Health Commission reported an imported case of COVID-19 in the city on Thursday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the city to 339 as of Thursday noon.

The patient, a Chinese national from Qinghai province who has been studying in Iran, departed Tehran and arrived at Shanghai Pudong International Airport on Mar 2 after transiting in Bangkok, Thailand.

According to Zheng Jin, a spokesperson for the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, the patient is one of the four passengers transferred by the Shanghai Customs on Tuesday night for quarantine. Up to now, the Qinghai province native is the only person confirmed to have the virus so far.

In addition, 14 other people who have come into contact with these four individuals have been quarantined as a precaution.

At the same news conference, Fu Chen, director of the Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said that a 737-strong team was set up to conduct epidemiologic investigation in light of the viral outbreak.

"The team, made up of Shanghai's disease control professionals, have carried out epidemiologic surveys for 2,850 cases and implemented medical quarantine for 10,709 close contact cases. This has effectively controlled the spread of the epidemic," said Fu.

As of noon on Mar 5, 24 patients in the city are in stable condition, eight are in critical condition, one is in intensive condition, and 303 have been cured and discharged from the hospital. Three people have died.