BANGKOK (BLOOMBERG, REUTERS) - Thailand confirmed six new cases of the new coronavirus on Tuesday (Feb 4), bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 25.

Four of the new cases are Thais, and the other two are Chinese, Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai, director general of the Department of Disease Control, said in a briefing Tuesday in Bangkok.

Among the four Thais, two are hire-car drivers who picked up Chinese passengers, and the other two are a couple who recently returned from a trip to Japan, Suwannachai said.

It was not clear whether the couple contracted the virus in Japan or after returning, Suwannachai said.

One of the new Thai cases is a 70-year-old who has pneumonia as well as the coronavirus infection and is in a serious condition, the disease control official added.

Seventeen of the overall 25 cases remain hospitalised. Thailand's confirmed case count is currently the highest outside China.

The outbreak of the disease has delivered a severe blow to Thailand's tourism industry, undermining the outlook for the country's economy.