BEIJING, March 1 (Xinhua) -- A total of 41,625 patients of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) had been discharged from hospital after recovery by the end of Saturday, Chinese health authority said Sunday.

Saturday saw 2,623 people discharged from hospital after recovery, the National Health Commission said in its daily report.

By the end of Saturday, a total of 79,824 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 had been reported on the Chinese mainland, and 2,870 people had died of the disease.