According to the latest data from 31 provinces, there were 409 new confirmed cases in Hubei, of which 383 were registered in Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak. 32,495 people have been discharged from hospitals.
"At 04:00 on 26 February, 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) reported 433 new confirmed cases and 29 new deaths (26 in Hubei and 1 in Beijing, Heilongjiang, and Henan). 508 new suspected cases were added", the official statement said.
The outbreak caused by a new strain of coronavirus originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan last December and has since spread to more than 40 countries.
The World Health Organisation (WHO), which designated COVID-19 as the official name for the new virus, declared a global health emergency over the coronavirus outbreak.