BEIJING — China has dispatched more than 30,000 medical staff, including elite medical groups, to assist in the fight against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in the epicenter Wuhan, Guo Yanhong, an official with the National Health Commission (NHC), said on Feb 17.

China has sent about 11,000 intensive care specialists into the coronavirus-hit Wuhan, making up to approximately 10 percent of the country's total number of intensive care medics, Guo said at a press conference in Beijing.

Guo said three top-level medical groups led by Chinese academicians, namely Zhong Nanshan, Li Lanjuan and Wang Chen, have also joined the fight at the frontline.

"Academicians' groups have provided consultations on the treatment of patients in critical condition and explored new therapies and techniques," Guo said, adding that therapies and medical techniques with good effectiveness would be added into the diagnosis and treatment plan.

A total of 22 national emergency medical rescue teams and three mobile P3 laboratories had gathered in the hard-hit city with selected medical kits to improve the city's ability to treat, cure and conduct virus tests, the NHC official said.

The supportive medical groups were sent by 29 provincial-level regions and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, as well as the armed forces of China, according to Guo.

As of Feb 16, a total of 3,458 patients have been discharged from hospitals after recovery in the city of Wuhan, according to NHC's daily report.