China reports over 100 coronavirus cases for seventh consecutive day

China's northeastern province continued to witness a surge in COVID-19 cases as the country reported over 100 new coronavirus cases for the seventh consecutive day on Tuesday.

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The country recorded 118 new COVID-19 cases rising from 109 a day earlier as the country continues to grapple with the virus.

China's National Health Commission said there were 106 local infections with 43 COVID-19 cases reported in the country's northeastern province of Jilin and 35 in Hebei province located near Beijing.

Heilongjiang in the north reported 27 new infections with the country's capital Beijing reporting one coronavirus case.

China will enter the Lunar holiday season next month as authorities have appealed to citizens not to travel and stay away from mass gatherings such as weddings.

The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in China is officially put at 89,454 with the death toll remaining unchanged at 4,635.

Amid the rising number of cases, the outgoing Trump administration said Chines officials should allow WHO experts to interview "caregivers, former patients and lab workers" in Wuhan and allow access to medical data and samples.

The WHO team has been in Wuhan since January 14 to investigate the origins of the virus. The team is currently conducting teleconferences from hotel rooms during their two-week quarantine before starting work on the ground.

"The team which finally arrived last week will be, will only be successful if it is provided with the following information, currently in possession of Chinese authorities," Garrett Grigsby of the US Department of Health and Human Services, said, adding,"all studies produced in China on the presence of SARS-COVID-2 related genetic sequences and animal testing results in and around Hubei province, environmental samples from the markets and comparative analyses of genetic data and samples."

Sun Yang, director-general of China health emergency response office, said: "The virus origin studies are of a scientific nature. It needs coordination, cooperation. We must stop any political pressure."