BEIJING, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- China's daily new confirmed cases of the coronavirus disease outside Hubei, the epicenter province in the outbreak, have been dropping for 12 consecutive days, according to the National Health Commission Sunday.

A total of 9,419 patients infected with the novel coronavirus had been discharged from hospital after recovery by the end of Saturday, Chinese health authority announced Sunday.

China has won international respect and recognition through its hard work and sacrifice in tackling the novel coronavirus pneumonia, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in an exclusive interview with Reuters in Berlin.

The recovery rate at Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital and Wuhan Lung Hospital - the first two hospitals designated to treat severe cases in Hubei province - has seen a hike, reaching 30 to 39 percent, according to Jiao Yahui, deputy head of the commission's medical administration bureau.

BEIJING, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping on Friday stressed improving the mechanism for major epidemic prevention and control and the national public health emergency management system.