The head of a leading hospital in China's central city of Wuhan — the epicentre of the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak — has died of the disease, becoming the second prominent Chinese doctor to have succumbed to the pathogen, according to health officials.

Key points: Liu Zhiming contracted the disease in the course of his work

Liu Zhiming contracted the disease in the course of his work Tens of thousands of medical workers have been fighting to contain the spread of the coronavirus, which has killed a total of 1,873 people, most in China

Tens of thousands of medical workers have been fighting to contain the spread of the coronavirus, which has killed a total of 1,873 people, most in China Outside of China, there are 827 cases in 26 countries and regions, and five deaths.

Liu Zhiming, the director of Wuhan Wuchang Hospital, died at 10:54am local time, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission reported.

"Since the outbreak, Comrade Liu Zhiming, regardless of his personal safety, led the medical staff of Wuchang Hospital to fight the epidemic, and made important contributions to the prevention and control of the coronavirus pneumonia in our city," the report said.

The commission expressed their condolences, adding the 51-year-old doctor had contracted the disease in the course of his work and had not responded to treatment.

"We hope medical workers in the city will unite to face the difficulties and fight heroically to resolutely win the battle against epidemic prevention and control," the report said.

The death toll from the virus rose by 98 people in mainland China on Tuesday, bringing the total death count to 1,873. New cases rose by 1,886 to a total of 73,335, according to Centres for Disease Control data collated by Johns Hopkins University.

Outside of China, there are 827 cases in 26 countries and regions, and five deaths.

More deaths of medical staff

Chinese doctor Li Wenliang, who tried to warn people about the coronavirus outbreak, died after contracting the virus. ( Weibo )

A senior Chinese health official said on Friday that 1,716 health workers have been infected by the coronavirus and six of them have died.

Earlier this month, millions in China mourned the death of Li Wenliang, a doctor who was previously reprimanded for issuing an early warning about the coronavirus.

Dr Li, 34, was one of eight whistleblowers who tried to warn other medical workers of the outbreak but was accused of spreading fake information by local police.

Tens of thousands of medical workers have been fighting to contain the spread of the coronavirus, which is believed to have first surfaced in a seafood market in Wuhan, the capital of the central province of Hubei.

As in the case of Dr Li's death, there was confusion on Chinese social media about Dr Liu's condition on Monday night.

On Monday night, the Communist Party propaganda department of the Hubei Health Commission wrote in a social media post that Dr Liu had died.

But it said in a subsequent post that he was alive.

"According to Dr Liu's relative, the hospital is still trying its best to rescue him," the commission said in the second post, adding that the previous misinformation was from a good friend of Dr Liu who was not aware of the latest situation.

State television then announced Liu's death on Tuesday morning and his passing has since been confirmed by medical officials.

ABC/wires