Latest on the novel coronavirus outbreak

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A pneumonia outbreak has spread across China and beyond. It is caused by a novel coronavirus.

Feb 29

China 

- Chinese mainland reports 427 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infections, 47 new deaths (Read more)

- 39,002 mainland coronavirus patients have recovered, the first time the number has surpassed remaining confirmed cases

- China sends a group of experts to Iran to help combat the novel coronavirus (Read more)

- Wuhan to send teams to supervise the city's prisons over virus control

- All schools in China should continue delaying their reopening date in an effort to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus outbreak, the Ministry of Education says (Read more)

- The Wuhan Marathon, originally set for April, is postponed to the second half of the year

Outside China 

- The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Italy rises to 889, including 21 fatalities and 46 recoveries

- South Korea confirms 219 more cases of COVID-19, raising the total number of infections to 3,150

- The number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Iran totals 593, including 43 fatalities

- UK confirms its first coronavirus patient who was infected in the country

- US reports third case of unknown origin of the novel coronavirus

- Mexico, Iceland and Morocco each confirm their first cases of the novel coronavirus

Feb 28

China

- Chinese mainland reports 327 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infections, 44 new deaths (Read more)

- China expects to enroll 189,000 more postgraduate students this year than last year, education official says (Read more)

- Education Ministry launches around-the-clock online campus recruitment service starting today (Read more)

- 544 recovered COVID-19 patients donated plasma to help 245 patients, 91 of whom have seen improvement, official says (Read more)

- Of the over 8,400 discharged patients cured of the novel coronavirus and studied by health experts, 85 percent underwent antiviral treatment, and nearly 40 percent received a combination of Western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine (Read more)

Outside China

- Next week's Geneva Motor show has been canceled over coronavirus fears as more than 600,000 people are expected to attend the event

- S.Korea reports 571 more virus cases for the day, total 2,337 (Read more)

- Japanese island of Hokkaido declares state of emergency over pace of virus transmission, urges residents to stay home

- Japan closes all its elementary, secondary and high schools, and cancels sporting events and concerts; Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea to close until mid-March (Read more)

- Nigeria, New Zealand confirm their first cases of novel coronavirus

- Egypt's only COVID-19 case released from hospital (Read more)

- The US stock market on Thursday suffers its worst blow so far in a bad week (Read more)

Feb 27

- Chinese mainland reports 433 new infections of novel coronavirus, 29 new deaths

- Hubei reports 409 new new infections of novel coronavirus, 26 new deaths

- Zhong Nanshan says he believes the novel coronavirus pneumonia epidemic will basically be brought under control on the Chinese mainland by the end of April

- Though the first case of novel coronavirus pneumonia was reported in China, its source may not come from the country - Zhong Nanshan

- A joint inspection team went on Feb 26 to Hubei province to investigate the case of an infected former prisoner who came to Beijing after being released

- Over 30% of SMEs in China resume work

- Scenic areas that have resumed operations should take stringent epidemic-control measures - China's culture and tourism authority

- The Chinese Embassy in S.Korea donates around 25,000 medical masks to the southeastern city of Daegu; Shanghai provided 500,000 masks to Daegu and its surrounding North Gyeongsang Province (Read more)

- For the first time, the number of new infections inside China was overtaken by fresh cases elsewhere on Feb 26

- The Republic of Korea has 1,766 coronavirus infections, 13 deaths

- Japan's Abe says the government will ask all elementary, junior-high and high schools to temporarily close beginning March 2, a couple of weeks ahead of the spring break

- The outbreak of coronavirus in Ian has affected 245 people, including vice-president and deputy health minister; 26 have died

- Italy reports 528 coronavirus infections and 14 deaths, the most in Europe

- Trump says virus risk low in US, praises Xi's efforts

Feb 26

- Chinese mainland reports 406 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infections, 52 new deaths

- Hubei reports 401 new infections of novel coronavirus, 52 new deaths

- Yantai city in Shandong province will provide free nucleic acid test for all travelers arriving from abroad

- The Tokyo Olympics will go ahead as planned, according to the International Olympic Committee and the Japanese government

Feb 25

- Chinese mainland reports 508 new coronavirus infections, 71 new deaths

- Hubei province reports 499 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus, 68 new deaths

- Mainland regions outside Hubei report 9 new infections, a single-digit increase for first time in weeks

- US stocks plunged on Feb 24 with all three major indexes plunging more than 3 percent

- WHO-led team of experts already in Italy for COVID-19 control and prevention efforts

Feb 24

- Chinese mainland reports 409 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infections, 150 new deaths

- Hubei province reports 398 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus, 149 new deaths

- 24 provincial-level regions record zero new infections, including Beijing and Shanghai

- China's top legislative and political advisory bodies have decided to postpone this year's two sessions

- The outbreak of the novel coronavirus has prompted China's top legislature to roll out a swift decision to comprehensively ban the eating of wildlife across the country

- The Ministry of Culture and Tourism warns Chinese travelers not to visit the United States in the near future

Feb 23

- 18 new infections on mainland regions outside Hubei, with 21 province-level regions recording zero new infections

- Hubei province reports 630 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus, 96 new deaths

- Beijing reports no new novel coronavirus infections, with 11 more discharged from hospital

- Wu Lei named new chief of Shandong Provincial Prison Administration

Feb 22

- Chinese mainland reports 397 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus, 109 new deaths on Feb 21. Among the new infections, 366 cases are from Hubei province.

 - President Xi Jinping sends a letter of thanks to Bill Gates for his support for China's efforts in containing the novel coronavirus.

- The World Health Organization-led joint expert mission in China has been working in Beijing, Sichuan and Guangdong, and travels to Wuhan

- Starting today, novel coronavirus pneumonia patients in Wuhan of Hubei province should be quarantined in designated places for 14 days after they are cured and discharged from hospitals.

- China renames the disease caused by the novel coronavirus to COVID-19, adopting the title created by the WHO.

- The Republic of Korea confirmed 229 more cases of the COVID-19 on Saturday, raising the total number of infections to 433.

Feb 21

- Chinese mainland reported 889 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infections, 118 new deaths

- Hubei province reported 631 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection and 115 new fatalities. 

- No confirmed novel coronavirus patients remain in Qinghai province after last two patients are discharged

- Novel coronavirus infections were found in prisons in Hubei, Shandong and Zhejiang. 220 new confirmed cases were found in prisons in Hubei on Feb 20, bringing the total from Hubei prisons to 271. 200 cases were from a prison in Jining, Shandong province, and a total of 34 cases were found in a prison in Zhejiang.

- Candidate vaccines against the novel coronavirus are to begin clinical trials as early as late April or May

- Premier Li Keqiang underlines the importance of scaling up production capacity of surgical masks to meet surging demand as more businesses resume operations.

Feb 20

- Chinese mainland reported biggest drop in new novel coronavirus infections in almost a month, with 394 new confirmed cases.

- Hubei province reported 349 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection and 108 new fatalities. 1,209 were released from hospitals, bringing the total to 10,337.

- Beijing postponed some exams, including English listening test for college entrance exam, scheduled for March.

Feb 19

- Chinese mainland reported 1,749 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection, bringing the total to 74,185.

- Chinese mainland reported 136 new deaths, bringing the total to 2,004.

- Hubei province reported 1,693 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection and 132 new fatalities. 

- Eight province-level regions, including Shanghai, in Chinese mainland reported zero new infections on Tuesday, Feb 18. The other regions are Hainan, Qinghai, Guizhou, Tibet, Xinjiang, Liaoning and Gansu.

- Shanghai reported no new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infections for the 24 hours ending Tuesday midnight.

Feb 18

- Chinese mainland reported 1,886 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection, bringing the total to 72,436.

- Hubei province reported 1,807 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection and 93 new fatalities. 1,223 were released from hospitals.

Feb 17

- Chinese mainland reported 2,048 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection, bringing the total to 70,548.

- Hubei province reported 1,933 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection and 100 new fatalities.

- The number of new confirmed cases outside Hubei province has been dropping for 13 consecutive days. 

Feb 16

- Chinese mainland reported 2,009 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection, 142 new deaths.

- Hubei province reported 1,843 new coronavirus infections in one day on Feb 15, including 888 clinical cases.

- New cases outside Hubei decline for 12 straight days.

Feb 15

- Chinese mainland reported 2,641 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection, 143 new deaths. More

- A total of 217 medical teams with 25,633 medics have arrived in Hubei to help.

- The use of cabin hospitals won't result in cross infection while it has achieved good performance, said a senior health official.

- Daily new confirmed cases of the coronavirus disease outside Hubei, the epicenter province in the outbreak, have been dropping for 11 consecutive days.

- France confirms first novel coronavirus death in Europe.

Feb 14

- Chinese mainland reported 5,090 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection, 121 new deaths on Feb 13.

- Hubei province reported 4,823 new coronavirus infections in one day on Feb 13, including 3,095 clinical cases.

- A total of 1,716 medical staff contracted novel coronavirus as of 24:00 Feb 11, and six died: National Health Commission.

- The central government has required for better working and living environment for medical staff working at the frontline to combat the novel coronavirus. 

Feb 13

- Chinese mainland reported 15,152 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection, 254 new deaths on Feb 12.

- Hubei province reported 14,840 new coronavirus cases, including 13,332 clinically diagnosed cases, on Feb 12. The hard-hit province also reported 242 new deaths from the infection on the same day. 

- A revision in the diagnosis criteria for the novel coronavirus pneumonia in Hubei province has resulted in a sudden surge in the number of confirmed patients in the province on Wednesday.

- Ying Yong appointed new Party chief of Hubei province, replacing Jiang Chaoliang. 

- Wang Zhonglin appointed as Party chief of Wuhan, Hubei province.

Feb 12

- New infections decline to 2,015 with 97 new fatalities reported on Chinese mainland on Feb 11; Cumulative infections stand at 44,653

- A total of 1,638 new cases of the novel coronavirus were reported in Hubei on Tuesday, the first day with fewer than 2,000 cases reported since Feb 2

- The World Health Organization (WHO) has named the virus COVID-19

- No confirmed or suspected novel coronavirus patients remain in Tibet as single patient is discharged

- The cure rate for novel coronavirus pneumonia patients on the Chinese mainland jumped to 10.6 percent on Feb 11 from a low of 1.3 percent on Jan 27

- A three-month-old baby girl in Haikou, the youngest novel coronavirus patient, has recovered and been discharged from hospital

- China to promote online employment services, suspend campus job fairs for college graduates, aiming to avoid outbreak.

Feb 11

- Death toll climbed to 1,016 with 42,638 confirmed cases reported on the Chinese mainland, as of Feb 10

- The top two officials of the Hubei provincial health commission have been removed from their posts; The two posts will be both shouldered by Wang Hesheng, who was announced to be appointed on Feb 8 as standing committee member of the CPC Hubei Provincial Committee

Feb 10

- The death toll rises to 908 with 40,171 total confirmed cases on Chinese mainland as of Feb 9

- The World Health Organization has sent a team of international experts to China. The team, led by Bruce Aylward, a veteran of past public health emergencies, will arrive in Beijing tonight. 

Feb 9

- The number of confirmed cases of novel coronavirus rose to 37,198 in Chinese mainland as of Feb 8, including 811 deaths.

- Hubei reported 27,100 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus as of Feb 8, including 780 deaths.

Feb 8

- An investigation team dispatched by the National Supervisory Commission has arrived in Wuhan to probe into issues related to Dr Li Wenliang. 

- The number of confirmed cases of novel coronavirus rose to 34,546 in Chinese mainland as of Feb 7, including 722 deaths.

- Hubei reports 2,841 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection.

- 1,600 beds for Leishenshan Hospital to be delivered in Wuhan.

- Wang Hesheng, the incumbent vice-minister of the National Health Commission, has been appointed a standing committee member of CPC Hubei Provincial Committee.

Feb 7

- The number of confirmed cases of novel coronavirus rose to 31,161 in Chinese mainland as of Feb 6, including 636 deaths.

- Hubei reported 22,112 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus as of Feb 6, including 618 deaths.

- A 91-year-old man has recovered from novel coronavirus and was discharged from hospital in Hubei.

Feb 6

- The number of confirmed cases of novel coronavirus rose to 28,018 in Chinese mainland as of Feb 5, including 563 deaths.

- Hubei reported 19,665 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus as of Feb 5, including 549 deaths.

- Clinical trials of the United States biotech company Gilead Sciences' experimental drug Remdesivir have begun in Wuhan.

- Charter flights have brought over 1,500 people back home to Hubei province from overseas.

- Transport authorities will control passenger numbers on public transport during the return leg of the Spring Festival travel rush to contain the spread of novel coronavirus, says Ministry of Transport.

Feb 5

- 14 medical staff infected with novel coronavirus have been all discharged from Wuhan Union Hospital

- Two newborns in Wuhan diagnosed with novel coronavirus infection, suggesting possible mother-to-fetus transmission

- The number of confirmed cases of novel coronavirus rose to 24,324 in Chinese mainland as of Feb 4, including 490 deaths.

- Hubei reported 16,678 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus as of Feb 4, including 479 deaths.

Feb 4

- The number of confirmed cases of novel coronavirus rose to 20,438 in Chinese mainland as of Feb 3, including 425 deaths.

- Hubei reported 13,522 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus as of Feb 3, including 414 deaths.

- Huoshenshan Hospital, one of two hospitals in Wuhan being built to contain the novel coronavirus outbreak, started to treat patients infected.

- The construction of three mobile cabin hospitals in Wuhan has picked up steam as part of the efforts to contain and treat patients suspected of contracting the novel coronavirus.

- Most patients that have been infected with the new coronavirus only show mild symptoms, Jiao Yahui, an official with the National Health Commission, said.

- National data shows number of patients in daily fever clinic continues to decline, Jiao Yahui, an official with the National Health Commission, said.

Feb 3

- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, urged further efforts to strengthen measures in the prevention and control of the novel coronavirus outbreak.

- The number of confirmed cases of novel coronavirus rose to 17,205 in Chinese mainland as of Feb 2, including 361 deaths.

- Hubei reported 11,177 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus as of Feb 2, including 350 deaths.

- China is stepping up the supplies of daily necessities and urging more companies to restore production to step up supplies to Hubei province.

- The PLA has established a transport support team of 260 soliders and 130 trucks, tasking it with assisting local logistic companies in Wuhan to transport daily necessities such as vegetables.

Feb 2

- The number of confirmed cases of novel coronavirus rose to 14,380 in Chinese mainland as of Feb 1, including 304 deaths. 

- Hubei reported 9,074 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus as of Feb 1, including 294 deaths.

- A total of 1,400 medical workers from the PLA will start on Monday (Feb 3) receiving and treating patients at Huoshenshan Hospital, which was built in nine days and was formally delivered to the military on Sunday (Feb 2) morning.

- A total of 328 people had been discharged from hospital after recovery.

- Canada Health Minister Patty Hajdu says Canada is not ready to declare a national emergency over the coronavirus outbreak.

- Foreign materials donated by overseas donors for prevention and control of the pneumonia outbreak will be exempted from import tax until late March.

- The National Health Commission says the bodies of dead novel coronavirus patients should be cremated nearby and should not be transported to other places.

Feb 1

- The number of confirmed cases of novel coronavirus rose to 11,791 in Chinese mainland as of Jan 31, including 259 deaths.

- Hubei reported 7,153 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus as of Jan 31, including 249 deaths.

- Hubei will extend the weeklong Spring Festival holiday to Feb 13 for all local residents, including people who came to Hubei for the holiday.

--The Shanghai Health Commission reported another 16 confirmed cases of novel coronavirus pneumonia as of noon Feb 1, with the total number of confirmed cases reaching 169.

--Three patients were cured and discharged from Hangzhou Xixi Hospital, marking the first batch of cured patients in Hangzhou. Among the three cured, one is a four-year-old girl surnamed Bai.

-- Wenzhou reported 14 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus as of midnight of Jan 31, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the city to 241. The figure made it as a city with most coronavirus cases outside Hubei province.

Jan 31

- The Ministry of Civil Affairs on Friday advised the public to simplify funerals and cancel wedding dinner parties in a bid to reduce possible transmission of the novel coronavirus.

- The Chinese government will send charter flights overseas to return people from Hubei province especially residents of Wuhan city, given consideration to the actual difficulties they are facing now abroad, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Friday.

- The number of confirmed cases of novel coronavirus rose to 9,692 in Chinese mainland as of Jan 30, including 213 deaths.

- Hubei reported 5,806 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus as of Thursday, including 204 deaths

- Shanghai announced on Friday that 16 new cases of infection caused by the novel coronavirus were confirmed on the previous day, bringing the total confirmed cases in the municipality to 128 by midnight Thursday.

Jan 30

- China Railway Corporation set up big data base to trace passengers on same trains with pneumonia patients.

- China will provide a daily subsidy of 300 yuan per person to medics in close contact with people with coronavirus.

- All football matches in China will be delayed due to the outbreak of epidemic, said Chinese Football Association.

- By 8 pm on Wednesday, the number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus pneumonia in Beijing had risen to 111 and one patient was dead, according to the capital’s health commission.

- Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region reported the first confirmed case of novel coronavirus pneumonia Thursday, according to local health authorities.

- The number of confirmed cases of novel coronavirus rose to 7,711 in Chinese mainland as of Jan 29, including 170 deaths.

- Hubei reported 4,586 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus as of Wednesday, including 162 deaths.

Jan 29

- Lhasa, capital of Tibet autonomous region, reported the first suspected case of novel coronavirus pneumonia.

- 5,974 confirmed coronavirus cases and 132 deaths reported on the Chinese mainland as of 24:00 on Jan 28

- So far, a total of 6,097 medical employees from 26 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, as well as three military hospitals have been sent to Hubei.

- Hubei reported 3,554 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus as of Tuesday, including 125 deaths.

- Nurseries, early learning centers ordered to close to protect kids

- The Ministry of Finance allocated 4.4 billion yuan to support the battle across the country against the novel coronavirus.

- China's centrally-administered state-owned enterprises (SOEs) donate 600 million yuan to aid Hubei's coronavirus control.

- Reception areas for people to make complaints and proposals in the central and state organs will be temporarily closed.

- The World Health Organization said that it will send international experts to China as soon as possible to increase understanding of the novel coronavirus outbreak situation and guide the global counter-epidemic efforts.

Jan 28

- President Xi Jinping meets with Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

- 4,515 confirmed coronavirus cases and 106 deaths reported on the Chinese mainland as of 24:00 on Jan 27

- As of Monday midnight, Hubei had reported 2,714 confirmed cases of novel coronavirus, including 100 deaths.

- Beijing reports capital's first death from the novel coronavirus on Jan 27 as the total number of confirmed cases in the area climbed to 80.

- China postpones school semester amid novel coronavirus outbreak.

- China sends nearly 6,000 medical workers from across the country to Hubei in virus fight.

- Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region, the only provincial region that hasn't reported any novel coronavirus cases, has temporarily suspended the operation of all its scenic attractions to tourists.

Jan 27

- Entrusted by President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang arrived in Wuhan to offer instructions on epidemic control and prevention.

- All TOEFL, GRE and IELTS tests in the Chinese mainland in February will be canceled amid the ongoing novel coranavirus pneumonia outbreak

- WHO chief to visit China on novel coronavirus outbreak

- The number of confirmed coronavirus cases increased to 2,744 on the Chinese mainland, with 80 deaths.

- China allocates 11.21 billion yuan for epidemic prevention

- Immigration service in Wuhan will be suspended starting Monday till Jan 30 to better control the spread of novel coronavirus.

- Shanghai confirms 13 new coronavirus cases, total now 53

- Hubei province reported 24 new fatalities, bringing the total number of deaths from the pneumonia-related disease to 76 as of Sunday night.

- State Council announced plans to extend the Spring Festival holiday to Feb 2 as a key measure to control the novel coronavirus outbreak.

- Shanghai will postpone the start of Spring semester at schools from kindergarten to university to no earlier than Feb 17 and require all companies not to resume work before Feb 9.

Jan 26

- More than 5 million people have left Wuhan due to the Spring Festival and epidemic, and about 9 million people are still in the city, Wuhan Mayor Zhou Xianwang said on Sunday night.

- Five new infections of the novel coronavirus were confirmed in Beijing from 6 pm to 9 pm on Sunday, including a nine-month old girl, CCTV reports.

- Wuhan mayor expects 1,000 new cases of virus infection.

- 1,975 confirmed coronavirus cases on the Chinese mainland as of 24:00 on Jan 25

- 56 deaths on the Chinese mainland

- Hubei province reported 13 new fatalities, bringing the total number of deaths to 52, and a total number of 1,052 cases

- Beijing added 10 cases from 5 pm to 11 pm on Saturday, 51 confirmed cases

- 49 being treated, with one in critical condition, in Bejing

- 30 provincial-level regions have activated first-level emergency response

- Shanghai confirmed seven novel coronavirus cases on Saturday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the city to 40

Jan 25

- 1287 confirmed infection cases on the Chinese mainland as of 24:00 on Jan 24

- Highest public health alert for 30 provincial-level regions

- 41 deaths out of the 1287 cases  

- 10 in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan

- Wuhan to build another hospital for coronavirus patients

- Wuhan calls for more material help to deal with virus

- Group tours, travel packages suspended across China

- Human-to-human transmission confirmed

- Early symptoms may not contain fever, fatigue and coughs

- Hubei province has raised health alert to highest level

- WHO refused to declare the virus a global health emergency