Beijing: Hong Kong has reported its first coronavirus death, local broadcaster TVB says, the second fatality outside mainland China.

The 39-year-old male had previously been reported by local authorities as having an underlying illness, TVB said on Tuesday. Hong Kong has had 15 confirmed cases including one that was transmitted locally.

South Korea also confirmed a case involving a woman who contracted the virus after visiting Thailand.

The news comes as China's Communist Party leadership said the month-old epidemic was a "major test" for the country. The new coronavirus strain has killed more in mainland China than the SARS outbreak in 2002 and 2003, with government officials confirming it as one of the deadliest epidemics in recent Chinese history.