The spread of the new coronavirus in China has slowed down with the daily number of newly-infected patients falling below 20.

China's National Health Commission said on Tuesday that 19 people tested positive for COVID-19 since the previous day and that 17 more people succumbed to the virus.

There have so far been 80-thousand-754 confirmed patients, with the death toll standing at three-thousand-136.

Since the daily increase initially fell below 100 last Friday, there were 44 new cases on Saturday and 40 on Sunday.

A majority of the new infections and deaths were reported in Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak.

Outside mainland China, there have been 170 cases, with 115 in Hong Kong, ten in Macao and 45 in Taiwan. Three patients died in Hong Kong and one in Taiwan.