A man died from the novel coronavirus in Beijing on Monday, in the capital's first reported death from the virus as the total number of confirmed cases in the area climbed to 80.

The man, 50, had visited Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak on January 8 and developed a fever after returning to Beijing on January 15.

He went to the hospital on January 21 and was diagnosed the next day. He was treated in hospital but died of respiratory failure on Monday, according to the Beijing Municipal Health Commission.

Between 9am to 8pm on Monday, eight new infections were confirmed in the capital, pushing the total number to 80 in Beijing out of 2,700 cases across the country.

Among those in the capital, 63 are in stable condition, 12 seriously ill, two in critical condition, two have been discharged from the hospital, and one has died.