Feb 18: Daily briefing on novel coronavirus cases in China

　　On Feb 17, 31 provincial-level regions on the Chinese mainland as well as the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps reported 1,886 new cases of confirmed infections, 1,432 new cases of suspected infections, 1,097 new serious cases and 98 deaths (93 in Hubei province, 3 in Henan province, 1 in Hebei province, and 1 in Hunan province). 1,701 patients were released from hospitals after being cured. 27,908 people who had had close contact with infected patients were freed from medical observation.

　　As of 24:00 on Feb 17, the National Health Commission had received 72,436 reports of confirmed cases (increased by 2 by the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps) and 1,868 deaths in 31 provincial-level regions on the Chinese mainland and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and in all 12,552 patients had been cured and discharged from hospital (increased by 7 by Beijing after verification). There still remained 58,016 confirmed cases (including 11,741 in serious condition) and 6,242 suspected cases. So far, 560,901 people have been identified as having had close contact with infected patients. 141,552 are now under medical observation.

　　On Feb 17, Hubei reported 1,807 new cases of confirmed infections (including 1,600 in Wuhan), 788 new cases of suspected infections (including 340 in Wuhan), and 93 deaths (including 72 in Wuhan). 1,223 patients were released from hospitals after being cured, including 761 in Wuhan.

　　As of 24:00 on Feb 17, Hubei had reported 59,989 cases of confirmed infections (including 42,752 in Wuhan) and 1,789 deaths (including 1,381 in Wuhan). In all, 7,862 patients had been cured and discharged from hospital, including 4,219 in Wuhan. There still remained 50,338 confirmed cases (including 37,152 in Wuhan), with 10,970 in serious condition (including 9,222 in Wuhan), and 4,194 suspected cases (including 1,799 in Wuhan).

　　As of 24:00 on Feb 17, 92 confirmed infections had been reported in the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions and Taiwan province: 60 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 22 in Taiwan (1 had been dead and 2 had been cured and discharged from hospital).