Volunteers in protective suits work on disinfecting a shopping complex in Wuhan, Hubei province, the epicentre of China's coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, March 31, 2020. REUTERS/Aly Song

BEIJING (Reuters) - China will start reporting on asymptomatic coronavirus cases that have been confirmed in the mainland from Wednesday, an official from the National Health Commission said on Tuesday.

Speaking at a daily press conference in Hubei, Chang Jile also said all asymptomatic virus cases would be centrally quarantined for 14 days.

The existence of a substantial but unknown number of coronavirus carriers displaying no symptoms has raised concerns among the Chinese public that people could still be spreading the virus without knowing they are sick.