BEIJING — Chinese health authorities said on March 6 that China must not relax its vigilance or lower the level of work in epidemic prevention and control as the number of imported cases of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) increases.

The Chinese mainland reported 17 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on March 5 outside Hubei province, the epicenter of the outbreak, said Mi Feng, an official with the National Health Commission, at a press conference.

Of them, 16 cases, including 11 in Gansu, four in Beijing and one in Shanghai, were imported from outside the mainland, said Mi.

"We should continue to deepen international cooperation, share information and experience with the World Health Organization and relevant countries in a timely manner, and jointly fight the epidemic," Mi added.

The mainland had seen a total of 36 imported COVID-19 cases by March 5, according to the commission.