On Feb 6^th, a discharge ceremony was held in Hubei Provincial Hospital of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine. Eighteen recovered patients with novel coronavirus were discharged from the hospital after receiving integrated TCM and western medicine treatment.

An Changqing, President of the Hubei Provincial Hospital of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, introduced that among the discharged patients, the oldest was 67 years old and the youngest was 23; one was critical type, and the other 17 were common type. The patient with critical type stayed in the hospital for 18 days. The shortest hospitalization of common type patients is 6.

The patient in critical condition is 58 years old. He told the reporter that when he was first admitted to the hospital, he was very ill. He had a high fever of 38.9℃, and was almost unable to speak. He could only lie on his back, and could not turn over without help. After integrated TCM and western medicine treatment, his conditions have improved a lot. He can move freely and does not pant for breath when speaking. His wife is still in hospital receiving treatment of the pneumonia. "I believe she will recover," he said.

Since January 29^th, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine took over some wards of Hubei Provincial Hospital of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine. On February 5^th, first patient in the wards was discharged. Dr. Wang Junfei of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine said that all patients in the wards they took over received TCM-based integrated TCM and western medicine treatment.

"Some patients did not quite understand the integration of TCM treatment at the beginning." Wang Junfei said. "But after treatment, most patients' symptoms were improved, physical strength significantly restored, and asthma, cough and excretion greatly ameliorated."

Zhang Zhongde, Vice President of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, said that the patients discharged on February 5^th merely received TCM treatment, and other patients in the wards who merely received TCM treatment also recovered very well. Regarding the effects of TCM and western medicine, he said that both have their own strengths. "Now, it is not the time to ‘dispense rewards according to one's merit’." "It is better to walk on both legs than on one."

Wang Junfei believes that the virus causes great damage to the lungs and TCM should be integrated in the treatment. He told the reporter that a doctor in the medical team had been unfortunately infected during the fight against the SARS epidemic, and the CT scans of his lungs shows "all white". After TCM intervention, the lungs are now free of spots.