According to the NHC, 31 provincial-level regions on the Chinese mainland as well as the Xinjiang region reported 397 new cases of confirmed infections, 1,361 new cases of suspected infections, and 109 deaths. 2,393 patients were released from hospital after being cured. 26,441 people who had had close contact with infected patients were freed from medical observation. Serious cases decreased by 156.

As of 24:00 on Feb 21, the National Health Commission had received 76,288 reports of confirmed cases and 2,345 deaths in 31 provincial-level regions on the Chinese mainland and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and in all 20,659 patients had been cured and discharged from hospital. There still remained 53,284 confirmed cases (including 11,477 in serious condition) and 5,365 suspected cases. So far, 618,915 people have been identified as having had close contact with infected patients. 113,564 are now under medical observation.

The first confirmed death was a 61-year-old man on 9 January 2020 who was first admitted to a Wuhan hospital on 27 December 2019. The first death outside of China occurred in the Philippines, when a 44-year-old Chinese male citizen developed severe pneumonia and died on 1 February. His companion, a 38-year-old Chinese female citizen was also confirmed to have contracted the virus, but eventually recovered. She stayed in the same hospital in Manila as her companion until her discharge on 8 February.

 On 8 February 2020, it was announced that a Japanese and an American died from the virus in Wuhan. They were the first non-Chinese killed by the virus. The first death outside of Asia was confirmed in Paris, France, on 15 February 2020, when an 80-year-old Chinese tourist from Hubei died after being in hospital since 25 January. On 19 February 2020, two elderly Japanese citizens who had been on the Diamond Princess died after being hospitalized for a week after they had tested positive for the virus. A 78-year-old Italian man in Veneto died on 21 February, 2020.

Four Iranians have died in hospital after testing positive for the coronavirus in Qom.

The virus was first detected in Wuhan city, Central China, in December 2019. It is believed to have originated from wild animals, passing to humans due to the wildlife trade and wet markets. The virus spread to other China provinces in early and mid-January 2020, helped by the Chinese new year migration.

WHO declared the new coronavirus outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on January 31. (ILKHA)