CHANGCHUN, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Northeast China's Jilin Province reported four new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Thursday, local health authorities said Friday.

The provincial health commission said the four domestically transmitted cases were close contacts of earlier confirmed cases in the city of Shulan (two) and the city of Jilin (two).

By Thursday, the province had reported a total of 119 locally transmitted confirmed cases, including one death and 92 who had been discharged from hospital after recovery.

There are still 26 patients receiving treatment in hospital, three of whom are in severe condition.

A total of 686 close contacts of the locally transmitted confirmed cases in the province are now under medical observation.

To prevent the spread of the epidemic, the province has stepped up the screening of people infected with the novel coronavirus in some key areas. The province has also sent medical experts to help with the treatment in the affected cities.