A taxi driver has died from the coronavirus in Taiwan, marking the first such death on the island and the fifth fatality outside mainland China from an epidemic that has curbed travel and disrupted global supply chains.

The health minister, Chen Shih-chung, said during a news conference on Sunday that the deceased was a 61-year-old man who had diabetes and hepatitis B. Taiwan has to date reported 20 confirmed cases.

The man who died had not travelled abroad recently and was a taxi driver whose clients were mainly from Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China, the minister said. One of his family members was also confirmed to have the virus.

The pair constituted Taiwan’s first local transmission cases, the minister said, adding that the authorities were trying to find out the source. “So far, we are not able to gather his contact history, so we are actively making investigations, hoping to find out the source of the contraction,” Chen said.

The death toll from Hubei province rose by 100 late on Sunday night, taking the total number of fatalities to 1,765. There are at least 70,400 confirmed cases around the world.

About 68,500 people in mainland China are confirmed to have been infected with the coronavirus, a further 2,000 new confirmed cases. The daily total of new cases represented a drop for the third day in a row, but researchers have advised caution. The dip in reported numbers follows a spike last week when Hubei province changed the way it was counting cases of the virus.

Facing criticism over Beijing’s handling of the outbreak, President Xi Jinping said in a speech reported by state media on Saturday evening that he had given instructions on fighting the disease as early as 7 January. The admission has fuelled questions over why the potential dangers of the virus were not conveyed fully to the public at an earlier date.

Q&A How can I protect myself and others from the coronavirus outbreak? Show Hide The World Health Organization is recommending that people take simple precautions to reduce exposure to and transmission of the coronavirus, for which there is no specific cure or vaccine. The UN agency advises people to: Frequently wash their hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or warm water and soap

Cover their mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue when sneezing or coughing

Avoid close contact with anyone who has a fever or cough

Seek early medical help if they have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, and share their travel history with healthcare providers

Advice about face masks varies. Wearing them while out and about may offer some protection against both spreading and catching the virus via coughs and sneezes, but it is not a cast-iron guarantee of protection Many countries are now enforcing or recommending curfews or lockdowns. Check with your local authorities for up-to-date information about the situation in your area. In the UK, NHS advice is that anyone with symptoms should stay at home for at least 7 days. If you live with other people, they should stay at home for at least 14 days, to avoid spreading the infection outside the home.

Most reports of the disease remain concentrated in Hubei, where the outbreak began, but cases have been confirmed across Asia, Australia, the US, Europe and, mostly recently, Africa.

A further 70 people on the Diamond Princess cruise ship quarantined in Japan on Sunday tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total to 355, as countries began to fly their citizens on the ship home.

There is also growing concern over possible infections among people who disembarked from the MS Westerdam in Cambodia on Friday, after it was confirmed that one passenger, who later flew to Malaysia, tested positive for the virus.

Four other deaths have occurred outside mainland China – in Japan, Hong Kong, the Philippines and France.

Taiwan will on Monday start testing all patients who show symptoms associated with coronavirus and had travelled abroad recently, the health ministry said.

The self-governing island has banned entry to Chinese visitors and foreigners with a recent history of travel to China and suspended most flights to its giant neighbour. Many schools have also extended their lunar new year holiday to late February to curb the spread of the virus.

Reuters contributed to this report.