BEIJING — The Chinese mainland on Dec 16 reported no new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases, the National Health Commission said on Dec 17.

A total of seven imported COVID-19 cases were reported across the mainland on Dec 16, the commission said in its daily report.

One new suspected case was reported in Heilongjiang. No new deaths related to the disease were reported.

A total of 21 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovery on the Chinese mainland on Dec 16.

By the end of Dec 16, a total of 4,068 imported cases had been reported on the mainland. Among them, 3,808 had been discharged from hospitals following recovery, and 260 remained hospitalized. No deaths had been reported among the imported cases.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on the mainland reached 86,777 by Dec 16, including 301 patients still receiving treatment.

A total of 81,842 patients had been discharged from hospitals following recovery on the mainland, and 4,634 had died of the virus, according to the report.

There were four suspected COVID-19 cases on the mainland as of Dec 16, and 6,792 close contacts remained under medical observation.

Dec 16 also saw six newly reported asymptomatic cases on the mainland. On the same day, no asymptomatic cases were re-categorized as confirmed ones.

A total of 198 asymptomatic cases were under medical observation, out of which 179 were imported cases, the commission said.

By the end of Dec 16, 7,803 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 123 deaths, had been reported in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), while 46 confirmed cases had been reported in Macao SAR, and 749 cases, including seven deaths, in Taiwan.

Altogether 6,439 COVID-19 patients in Hong Kong SAR had been discharged from hospitals following recovery, while 46 had been discharged from hospitals in Macao SAR, and 612 in Taiwan.