China is confident in its ability to end the novel coronavirus outbreak at a lower cost and a faster speed, health minister Ma Xiaowei said on Sunday, after being asked whether it would be more serious than the outbreak of SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) in 2003.

Ma, director of the National Health Commission, said the novel coronavirus is now spreading at a relatively fast rate, pressuring the country's disease prevention and control work. "The outbreak has entered a severe and complicated stage," he said.

A series of measures implemented in Wuhan — the epicenter of the outbreak where the virus first emerged — has played a significant role in curbing the disease spread, Ma said.

"Nationwide, the outbreak is at an early stage and instances of novel coronavirus have so far occurred sporadically. With a range of strong steps being taken to control the virus across the country, we are confident in our capacity to end the outbreak at a lower cost and a faster speed," he said.

He added more clinical research is needed to determine the virulence and toxicity of the virus.