BEIJING — China's National Health Commission said on Dec 8 that it received reports of 12 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases on the Chinese mainland on Dec 7, two of which were locally transmitted in Sichuan province.

Ten cases were imported from outside the mainland, the commission said in its daily report.

One new suspected case arriving from outside the mainland was reported in Shanghai.

No new deaths related to the disease were reported.

A total of 13 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovery on the Chinese mainland on Dec 7.

By the end of Dec 7, a total of 3,958 imported cases had been reported on the mainland. Among them, 3,716 had been discharged from hospitals following recovery, and 242 remained hospitalized. No deaths had been reported among the imported cases.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on the mainland reached 86,646 by Dec 7, including 280 patients still receiving treatment.

A total of 81,732 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 three suspected COVID-19 cases on the mainland as of Dec 7, and 6,114 close contacts remained under medical observation.

Dec 7 also saw five newly reported asymptomatic cases arriving from outside the mainland. On the same day, one imported asymptomatic case was re-categorized as a confirmed one.

A total of 219 asymptomatic cases were under medical observation, out of which 212 were imported cases, the commission said.

By the end of Dec 7, 6,975 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 112 deaths, had been reported in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), while 46 confirmed cases had been reported in Macao SAR, and 716 cases, including seven deaths, in Taiwan.

Altogether 5,626 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 574 in Taiwan.