HANGZHOU, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- China has found effective ways of treating critically ill patients who are affected by the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), renowned Chinese epidemiologist Li Lanjuan told Xinhua.

China's National Health Commission said Saturday that 11,791 confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infections had been reported in 31 provincial-level regions and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps by the end of Friday. A total of 243 patients had been cured and discharged from hospital.

Measures to treat patients in critical condition are known as the "four fights and two balances," said Li, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Engineering, who heads the State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases.

"The first is to fight the virus. We found that if we start antiviral treatment a day earlier, the rate of patients in critical condition decreased by 10 percent, and the mortality rate fell 13 percent," she said in an exclusive interview by Xinhua Wednesday.

"The second is to prevent shock through supplementing a saline substance. The third is to prevent hypoxemia and multiple organ failure. The fourth is to prevent and fight secondary infections. We adopt antiviral treatment in the early stage, and use antibiotics when a secondary infection occurs," she said.

The "two balances" refer to maintaining water electrolytes, acid-base balance and micro-ecological balance, Li said.

"The treatment of critically ill patients is of great significance. Only by lowering the mortality rate can we allay the fears of the public," she said.

Li said the "four fights and two balances" is a new overall strategy for the rescue of critically ill patients.