Wuhan, Apr 24 (IANS): The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Hubei province dropped to below 50 for the first time since the pandemic originated in its capital Wuhan last December, a health official said on Friday.

As of Thursday, no new confirmed or suspected cases had been reported in the province for the 20th consecutive day, said Mi Feng, spokesperson for the National Health Commission, at a press conference in Beijing.

According to the commission's daily report, Hubei had 47 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Thursday.

Mi also said all the COVID-19 patients in serious condition in Wuhan have been cured.

The last patient in serious condition in Wuhan was cured on Friday, reducing the number of such patients in the city to zero, the spokesperson added.

As of Friday, China reported 83,884 coronavirus cases with 4,636 deaths, much less that other countries, including the US which now accounts for the highest number of infections and fatalities in the world.