Feb 19: Daily briefing on novel coronavirus cases in China

　　On Feb 18, 31 provincial-level regions on the Chinese mainland as well as the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps reported 1,749 new cases of confirmed infections, 1,185 new cases of suspected infections, 236 new serious cases and 136 deaths (132 in Hubei province, 1 in Heilongjiang province, 1 in Shandong province, 1 in Guangdong province, and 1 in Guizhou province). 1,824 patients were released from hospitals after being cured. 25,014 people who had had close contact with infected patients were freed from medical observation.

　　As of 24:00 on Feb 18, the National Health Commission had received 74,185 reports of confirmed cases and 2,004 deaths in 31 provincial-level regions on the Chinese mainland and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and in all 14,376 patients had been cured and discharged from hospital. There still remained 57,805 confirmed cases (including 11,977 in serious condition) and 5,248 suspected cases. So far, 574,418 people have been identified as having had close contact with infected patients. 135,881 are now under medical observation.

　　On Feb 18, Hubei reported 1,693 new cases of confirmed infections (including 1,660 in Wuhan), 596 new cases of suspected infections (including 234 in Wuhan), and 132 deaths (including 116 in Wuhan). 1,266 patients were released from hospitals after being cured, including 676 in Wuhan.

　　As of 24:00 on Feb 18, Hubei had reported 61,682 cases of confirmed infections (including 44,412 in Wuhan) and 1,921 deaths (including 1,497 in Wuhan). In all, 9,128 patients had been cured and discharged from hospital, including 4,895 in Wuhan. There still remained 50,633 confirmed cases (including 38,020 in Wuhan), with 11,246 in serious condition (including 9,562 in Wuhan), and 3,462 suspected cases (including 1,649 in Wuhan).

　　As of 24:00 on Feb 18, 94 confirmed infections had been reported in the Hong Kong, S.A.R., China and Macau, S.A.R., China special administrative regions and Taiwan, China province: 62 in Hong Kong, S.A.R., China (1 had been dead and 4 had been cured and discharged from hospital), 10 in Macau, S.A.R., China (5 had been cured and discharged from hospital) and 22 in Taiwan, China (1 had been dead and 2 had been cured and discharged from hospital).