Feb 17: Daily briefing on novel coronavirus cases in China

　　On Feb 16, 31 provincial-level regions on the Chinese mainland as well as the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps reported 2,048 new cases of confirmed infections, 1,563 new cases of suspected infections, and 105 deaths (100 in Hubei province, 3 in Henan province, and 2 in Guangdong province). 1,425 patients were released from hospitals after being cured. 28,179 people who had had close contact with infected patients were freed from medical observation. Serious cases decreased by 628.

　　As of 24:00 on Feb 16, the National Health Commission had received 70,548 reports of confirmed cases and 1,770 deaths in 31 provincial-level regions on the Chinese mainland and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and in all 10,844 patients had been cured and discharged from hospital. There still remained 57,934 confirmed cases (including 10,644 in serious condition) and 7,264 suspected cases. So far, 546,016 people have been identified as having had close contact with infected patients. 150,539 are now under medical observation.

　　On Feb 16, Hubei reported 1,933 new cases of confirmed infections (including 1,690 in Wuhan), 909 new cases of suspected infections (including 338 in Wuhan), and 100 deaths (including 76 in Wuhan). 1,016 patients were released from hospitals after being cured, including 543 in Wuhan.

　　As of 24:00 on Feb 16, Hubei had reported 58,182 cases of confirmed infections (including 41,152 in Wuhan) and 1,696 deaths (including 1,309 in Wuhan). In all, 6,639 patients had been cured and discharged from hospital, including 3,458 in Wuhan. There still remained 49,847 confirmed cases (including 36,385 in Wuhan), with 9,797 in serious condition (including 8,056 in Wuhan), and 4,826 suspected cases (including 1,971 in Wuhan).

　　As of 24:00 on Feb 16, 87 confirmed infections had been reported in the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions and Taiwan province: 57 in Hong Kong (1 had been dead and 2 had been cured and discharged from hospital), 10 in Macao (5 had been cured and discharged from hospital) and 20 in Taiwan (1 had been dead and 2 had been cured and discharged from hospital).