BEIJING — China has seen a declining daily number of patients in its fever clinics across the country as it continues its rigorous measures to fight a novel coronavirus outbreak, a health official said in Beijing on Feb 4.

National data showed that the country's fever clinics received a total of 220,865 patients on Feb 3, 7 percent lower than the previous day, said Jiao Yahui, an official with the National Health Commission, at a press conference.

The figure has been declining for days, Jiao said, adding that the burden on medical staff working in fever clinics is gradually easing.

Jiao noted that the situation in the city of Wuhan in Hubei province is still challenging, with over 12,000 patients visiting fever clinics on Feb 3 in the city, where the epidemic first broke out.

The daily number is still increasing in Wuhan but the increase is slowing, Jiao said.

Fever, cough, and weakness are major symptoms of the novel coronavirus infection. A total of 15,000 fever clinics have been set up across the mainland.