(Yicai Global) March 1 -- Chinese health authorities said today that it received reports of 573 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection and 35 deaths yesterday from 31 provincial-level regions and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.

Among the deaths, 34 were in Hubei province and one in Henan province, according to the China's National Health Commission. 

Hubei reported 570 new confirmed cases yesterday.  

Another 132 new suspected cases were reported yesterday, including 64 in Hubei, said the commission.

Also 2,623 people were discharged from hospital after recovery, while the number of severe cases decreased by 299 to 7,365 yesterday.

The overall confirmed cases on the Chinese mainland had reached 79,824 by the end of yesterday, and 2,870 people had died of the disease.

The commission added that 851 people were still suspected of being infected with the virus.

A total of 41,625 people had been discharged from hospital after recovery.

The commission said 660,716 close contacts had been traced, adding that among them, 8,620 were discharged from medical observation yesterday, with 51,856 others still under medical observation.

By the end of yesterday, 95 confirmed cases had been reported in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (including two deaths), 10 in the Macau Special Administrative Region and 39 in Taiwan (including one death).

Some 33 patients in Hong Kong, eight in Macau and nine in Taiwan have been discharged from hospital after recovery.

Editor: Xia Ruirui