A woman wearing a mask is seen on a street in Shanghai, China January 31, 2020. REUTERS/Aly Song

BEIJING/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China’s Hubei province, the epicentre of a coronavirus epidemic, reported 45 new deaths from the outbreak on Friday, bringing the total to 249, the local health commission said on Saturday.

The province has also confirmed 1,347 new cases of infection on Jan. 31, with the total reaching 7,153 by the end of the day.

Hubei’s provincial capital Wuhan, where the virus is thought to have originated, reported 576 new confirmed cases over the day, and also saw 33 deaths from the virus. A total of 192 people in Wuhan have now died.

The province remains under virtual quarantine, with roads sealed off and public transport shut down, but small numbers of travellers continue to breach the lockdown.

The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on Thursday.