(Yicai Global) Feb. 21 -- Chinese health authorities said today that it received reports of 889 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection and 118 deaths yesterday from 31 provincial-level regions and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.

Among the deaths, 115 were in Hubei province, and one in Zhejiang, Chongqing and Yunnan respectively, according to the China's National Health Commission. 

Hubei reported 631 new confirmed cases yesterday.  

Another 1,614 new suspected cases were reported yesterday, including 1,279 in Hubei, said the commission.

Also yesterday, 2,109 people were discharged from hospital after recovery.

The overall confirmed cases on the Chinese mainland had reached 75,465 by the end of yesterday, and 2,236 people had died of the disease.

The commission added that 11,633 patients remained in severe condition, and 5,206 people were suspected of being infected with the virus.

A total of 18,264 people had been discharged from hospital after recovery.

The commission said 606,037 close contacts had been traced, adding that among them, 28,804 were discharged from medical observation yesterday, with 120,302 others still under medical observation.

By the end of yesterday, 68 confirmed cases had been reported in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (including two deaths), 10 in the Macau Special Administrative Region and 24 in Taiwan (including one death).

Five patients in Hong Kong, six in Macau and two in Taiwan have been discharged from hospital after recovery.

Editor: Xia Ruirui