Facility cases: positive nucleic acid amplification test on admission or 24 h laterFacility controls: SARs‐CoV‐2 PCR test negativeCountry: China, AnhuiDates: 24 January 2020‐20 February 2020Symptoms and severity: all suspected COVID‐19 patients included; days since onset of symptoms median 5 (IQR 2‐7)Demographics: median age: all: 40 years (IQR 27‐53), cases: 46 years (IQR 35‐52), controls: 35 years (IQR 27‐53); gender distribution M%/F%: all 46/54, cases 47/53, controls 46/54Exposure history: no specific exposure history common to all patients with suspected disease: 8 (25%) diagnosed patients had visited Wuhan in the previous 2 weeks and 12 (38%) had been exposed to patients with infection in the previous 2 weeks