A total of 327 new cases of the novel coronavirus were confirmed on the Chinese mainland as of midnight on Thursday and 44 new deaths were reported, according to China's National Health Commission.

The total number of confirmed cases on the Chinese mainland now stands at 78,824 and the cumulative death toll is 2,788.

On the same day, Chinese health authorities said 3,622 more patients were discharged from hospitals, bringing the total number of recovered cases to 36,117.

The numbers of confirmed cases in Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions and China's Taiwan region are as follows:

Hong Kong: 93 (two dead, 26 recovered)

Macao: 10 (eight recovered)

Taiwan: 32 (one dead, six recovered)