BEIJING — China's National Health Commission said on Dec 3 that it received reports of 16 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases on the Chinese mainland on Dec 2, all imported from outside the mainland.

The imported cases were reported in Shanghai, Guangdong, Shandong, Hubei and Shaanxi, the commission said in its daily report.

Shanghai also reported two new suspected cases on Dec 2, who arrived from outside the mainland, the report read. No new deaths related to the disease were reported.

A total of 18 COVID-19 patients were newly discharged from hospitals after recovery on the Chinese mainland on Dec 2.

By the end of Dec 2, a total of 3,889 imported cases had been reported on the mainland. Among them, 3,654 had been discharged from hospitals following recovery, and 235 remained hospitalized. No deaths had been reported among the imported cases.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on the mainland reached 86,567 by Dec 2, including 266 patients still receiving treatment, six of whom were in severe conditions.

A total of 81,667 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 eight suspected COVID-19 cases on the mainland by Dec 2, and 7,007 close contacts remained under medical observation.

Dec 2 also saw six newly reported asymptomatic cases, five of whom arrived from outside the mainland. On the same day, two imported asymptomatic cases were re-categorized as confirmed cases.

A total of 254 asymptomatic cases were under medical observation, including 248 from outside the mainland, the commission said.

By the end of Dec 2, 6,499 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 110 deaths, had been reported in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), with 46 confirmed cases reported in Macao SAR, and 685 cases, including seven deaths, in Taiwan.

Altogether 5,394 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 570 in Taiwan.