Chinese mainland reports zero increase in domestic COVID-19 cases

No new domestically transmitted cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) were reported on the Chinese mainland on Wednesday, the National Health Commission (NHC) said Thursday.

All of 35 confirmed COVID-19 cases reported on Wednesday were from overseas, pushing the total number of imported cases to 841, the NHC said in its daily report.

Six deaths, all in Hubei Province, and 20 new suspected cases, all imported ones, were reported on the mainland, according to the commission.

On Wednesday, 170 people were discharged from hospitals after recovery, while the number of severe cases decreased by 37 to 429.

The overall confirmed cases on the mainland had reached 81,589 by Wednesday, including 1,863 patients who were still being treated, 76,408 patients who had been discharged after recovery, and 3,318 people who died of the disease.

The commission said that 153 people were still suspected of being infected with the virus, and 20,072 close contacts were still under medical observation. On Wednesday, 1,898 people were discharged from medical observation.

Also on Wednesday, 55 new asymptomatic COVID-19 cases were reported on the mainland, including 17 imported ones. Nine asymptomatic cases, all imported ones, were re-categorized as confirmed infections, and 338 were discharged from medical observation, according to the commission.

The commission said 1,075 asymptomatic cases were still under medical observation, including 226 from abroad.

By Wednesday, 765 confirmed cases including four deaths had been reported in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), 41 confirmed cases in the Macau SAR, and 329 in Taiwan including five deaths.

A total of 147 patients in Hong Kong, 10 in Macau and 45 in Taiwan had been discharged from hospitals after recovery.