March 16: Daily briefing on novel coronavirus cases in China

On March 15, 31 provincial-level regions on the Chinese mainland as well as the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps reported 16 new cases of confirmed infections, 41 new cases of suspected infections, and 14 deaths (all in Hubei province). 838 patients were released from hospital after being cured. 1,316 people who had had close contact with infected patients were freed from medical observation. Serious cases decreased by 194.

As of 24:00 on March 15, the National Health Commission had received 80,860 reports of confirmed cases and 3,213 deaths in 31 provincial-level regions on the Chinese mainland and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and in all 67,749 patients had been cured and discharged from hospital. There still remained 9,898 confirmed cases (including 3,032 in serious condition) and 134 suspected cases. So far, 680,462 people have been identified as having had close contact with infected patients. 9,582 are now under medical observation.

On March 15, Hubei reported 4 new cases of confirmed infections (all in Wuhan), 2 new cases of suspected infections (both in Wuhan), and 14 deaths (13 in Wuhan). 816 patients were released from hospital after being cured, including 752 in Wuhan.

As of 24:00 on March 15, Hubei had reported 67,798 cases of confirmed infections (including 50,003 in Wuhan) and 3,099 deaths (including 2,469 in Wuhan). In all, 55,094 patients had been cured and discharged from hospital, including 38,384 in Wuhan. There still remained 9,605 confirmed cases (including 9,150 in Wuhan), with 2,975 in serious condition (including 2,878 in Wuhan), and 18 suspected cases (including 15 in Wuhan).

On March 15, the Chinese mainland reported 12 new imported confirmed cases from overseas (4 in Beijing municipality, 4 in Guangdong province, 2 in Shanghai municipality, 1 in Yunnan province, and 1 in Gansu province). As of 24:00 on March 15, the Chinese mainland had reported 123 imported confirmed cases from overseas.

As of 24:00 on March 15, 217 confirmed infections had been reported in the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions and Taiwan province: 148 in Hong Kong (4 had been dead and 84 had been cured and discharged from hospital), 10 in Macao (all had been cured and discharged from hospital) and 59 in Taiwan (1 had been dead and 20 had been cured and discharged from hospital).