TAIPEI -- Taiwan on Friday recorded 46,377 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases and 11 new deaths from the disease, the island's disease monitoring agency announced Saturday.

The 11 deaths involved seven male and four female patients, who were in severe conditions and all suffered from chronic diseases, said the agency.

Another 159 imported cases were newly reported in the region, the agency added.

As of Friday, more than 31,000 local students had been infected and a total of 1,958 schools across the region had suspended classes, according to the island's education authority.

To date, Taiwan has reported 314,983 confirmed COVID-19 cases. Of these, 303,118 were local infections.