BEIJING, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- China's daily number of newly cured and discharged novel coronavirus patients has surpassed that of new confirmed infections for a third consecutive day, according to the National Health Commission Friday.

Thursday saw 2,109 people walk out of hospital after recovery, much higher than the number of the same day's new confirmed infections, which was 889, showed figures from the commission.

A total of 18,264 patients infected with the novel coronavirus had been discharged from hospital after recovery by the end of Thursday, according to the commission.