(Yicai Global) Feb. 28 -- Chinese health authorities said today that it received reports of 327 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection and 44 deaths yesterday from 31 provincial-level regions and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.

Among the deaths, 41 were in Hubei province, two in Beijing, and one in the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, according to the China's National Health Commission. 

Hubei reported 318 new confirmed cases yesterday.  

Another 452 new suspected cases were reported yesterday, including 332 in Hubei, said the commission.

Also 3,622 people were discharged from hospital after recovery, while the number of severe cases decreased by 394 to 7,952 yesterday.

The overall confirmed cases on the Chinese mainland had reached 78,824 by the end of yesterday, and 2,788 people had died of the disease.

The commission added that 2,308 people were still suspected of being infected with the virus.

A total of 36,117 people had been discharged from hospital after recovery.

The commission said 656,054 close contacts had been traced, adding that among them, 10,525 were discharged from medical observation yesterday, with 65,225 others still under medical observation.

By the end of yesterday, 93 confirmed cases had been reported in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (including two deaths), 10 in the Macau Special Administrative Region and 32 in Taiwan (including one death).

Some 26 patients in Hong Kong, eight in Macau and six in Taiwan have been discharged from hospital after recovery.

Editor: Xia Ruirui