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WUHAN, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Altogether 29 foreign nationals in China had been infected with the novel coronavirus as of 6 p.m. Wednesday. 

Ding Xiangyang, deputy secretary-general of the State Council, or the cabinet, made the announcement at a press briefing on Thursday in Wuhan, the epicenter of the virus outbreak in central China's Hubei Province. 

Among the total, 18 patients have recovered and been discharged from hospitals. Nine are in quarantine and receiving treatment at hospitals, and two died of the virus, according to Ding.