BEIJING — The number of confirmed cases of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) fell to 9,898 on March 15 on the Chinese mainland, said the country's health authorities on March 16.

The number of severe cases continues to decrease and the medical treatment is effective, said Mi Feng, an official with the National Health Commission at a press conference.

The overall confirmed cases on the mainland had reached 80,860 by the end of March 15, including 9,898 patients who were still being treated, 67,749 patients who had been discharged after recovery, and 3,213 people who died of the disease.

The commission said it received reports of 16 new confirmed cases on March 15, four of which were in Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, and 12 were imported cases.

Of the 12 newly imported cases, four were reported in Beijing, four in Guangdong province, two in Shanghai, and one in Yunnan and Gansu provinces respectively. By the end of March 15, 123 imported cases had been reported, said the commission.