A total of 337 officials and members of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Huanggang City have been punished for failing to prevent and control the spread of the coronavirus outbreak.

Qiu Lixin, the mayor of the city neighboring Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, said on Saturday that authorities had dispatched a 3,497-strong team to carry out supervision and inspection work in key sites.

Six high-level officials were removed from their post for failing to prevent and control the outbreak.

A total of 726 coronavirus cases were confirmed in the city with 14 deaths reported, second only to Wuhan.

"We accept and thank the media and the community for their supervision and criticism," she added.