The Hospital Authority said public hospitals, as of noon today and over the past 24 hours, admitted 11 patients who met the reporting criteria of novel coronavirus infection.

The authority said the patients, six males and five females who are aged between three and 87, are being treated at Queen Elizabeth, Yan Chai, United Christian, Princess Margaret, Tuen Mun, North District, Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole hospitals and Caritas Medical Centre.

The patients' specimens have been sent to the Department of Health for testing.  

Currently, 16 patients are still under isolation, of which 14 patients are in a stable condition, while two patients in North District Hospital are in critical and serious condition due to underlying diseases.

Meanwhile, the Centre for Health Protection said today that according to the National Health Commission (NHC), 17 more cases of novel coronavirus infection were recorded in Wuhan.

The additional cases involved 12 males and five females who developed symptoms before January 13.

As of January 17, the total number of novel coronavirus infections in Wuhan was 62. Among them, 19 patients were discharged, eight are in a serious condition and two died, while the remaining patients are in a stable condition.

A total of 763 close contacts have been identified. All have been put under medical surveillance with 681 of them having completed the surveillance. No related cases have been detected so far.

According to the NHC, epidemiological analysis on the novel coronavirus infections announced earlier revealed that some cases did not have exposure at Hua Nan Seafood Wholesale Market.

The Centre for Health Protection will maintain liaison with the NHC, the World Health Organization and overseas health authorities, and closely monitor the situation for risk assessment.