The first three patients infected with the novel coronavirus in the port city of Quanzhou, in the southeastern coastal province of Fujian, were discharged from hospital on Feb 4, according to local officials.

Among them, a patient from Shishi city was the first critical case to be cured, officials added.

Zhuang Xibin, executive director of the designated hospital in Quanzhou, said that patients with the coronavirus pneumonia should be discharged according to following standards: where they have a normal body temperature for three days, a disappearance of respiratory symptoms and where two consecutive nucleic acid tests are found to be negative.

"It should be noted that patients need to be isolated at home for two weeks after discharge", said Zhuang, adding that the Municipal Health Commission would closely observe the condition of the recovered patients.

In the wake of the outbreak Quanzhou formed a medical treatment expert group and developed a special diagnosis and treatment mechanism for confirmed patients. Each confirmed case is consulted by a respiratory expert and a professional medical team twice a day, according local officials.

"I really want to thank all the medical staff for their meticulous care of me over the past 10 days", said Mr. Wu, the first patient in critical condition to be cured of the pneumonia in Fujian province.

"They all have families, but they still took risks to treat me," he added.

Zhuang Xibin, executive director of the designated hospital in Quanzhou, is interviewed by local media about the first three patients infected with novel coronavirus who were discharged from hospital on Feb 4. [Photo/qzwb.com]