BEIJING, Feb. 29 (Xinhua) -- A total of 39,002 patients of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) had been discharged from hospital after recovery by the end of Friday, Chinese health authority said Saturday.

Friday saw 2,885 people discharged from hospital after recovery, the National Health Commission said in its daily report.

By the end of Friday, a total of 79,251 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 had been reported on the Chinese mainland, and 2,835 people had died of the disease.