There were three new imported cases of the novel coronavirus in the first half of Friday, according to the Shanghai Health Commission.

All of the infected individuals had flown from Iran to Shanghai on Mar 2 and 3.

The patients, two from Ningxia Hui autonomous region and one from Gansu province, departed Tehran, Iran and arrived at Shanghai Pudong International Airport after transiting in Bangkok, Thailand.

The trio were immediately quarantined after testing positive for the virus on the night of Mar 3, said Zheng Jin, a spokesperson from the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission.

As of Friday noon, Shanghai has had 342 confirmed cases since the outbreak occurred. Presently, 24 patients are in stable condition, eight are in critical condition, one is in intensive condition, and 306 have been cured and discharged from the hospital. Three people have died after getting infected with the virus.