BEIJING — China has stepped up efforts to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Here are the latest developments:

— A latest finding showed that pangolin may be the potential intermediate host of novel coronavirus, according to the official website of South China Agricultural University, a participant of the study.

— Central China's Hubei province, center of the novel coronavirus epidemic outbreak, is now able to conduct up to 10,000 nucleic acid tests per day.

— A total of 10,596 medical workers have been sent to Hubei to assist novel coronavirus control. Local authorities said another 2,250 medical practitioners are still needed, especially those from the respiratory, critical care and infectious departments.

— Chinese authorities asked businesses outside Hubei province to resume operation in an orderly manner while continuing to fight the novel coronavirus outbreak.

— Chinese health authorities received reports of 3,143 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection and 73 deaths on Feb 6 from 31 provincial-level regions and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.