There were no new cases of Covid-19 reported in Hubei Province and its capital city of Wuhan yesterday (Mar. 18), the Health Commission of Hubei Province confirmed.

There were eight new deaths due to the virus recorded, but the reported cases in Wuhan and Hubei remained at 50,005 and 67,800 respectively, Chinese state media Global Times reported.

The Chinese province was originally the epicentre of the novel coronavirus outbreak, and this was the first time since it began that new infections have been recorded at zero.

795 patients in the province were discharged on Mar. 18 as well, reducing its caseload of hospitalised patients to 6,636.

Imported cases "a new threat"

According to Global Times, there were no new cases of domestically-transmitted Covid-19 infection on Mar. 18, but the National Health Commission in China received reports of 34 new Covid-19 cases.

All 34 cases were imported.

The Chinese state media added that the country now "faces a greater threat of infections imported from overseas".

Europe has more than 85,000 cases, surpassing China, whose cases have plateaued at 80,900, reported Bloomberg.

Last week, the World Health Organisation (WHO) chief called Europe the new epicentre of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Top image via People's Daily China/Twitter