BEIJING — China's National Health Commission said on Dec 7 that it received reports of 15 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases on the Chinese mainland on Dec 6, three of which were domestically transmitted in Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

Twelve cases were imported from outside the mainland and reported in Shanghai, Guangdong, Zhejiang, Fujian and Yunnan, the commission said in its daily report.

Two new suspected cases arriving from outside the mainland were 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 6. 

By the end of Dec 6, a total of 3,948 imported cases had been reported on the mainland. Among them, 3,703 had been discharged from hospitals following recovery, and 245 remained hospitalized. No deaths had been reported among the imported cases.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on the mainland reached 86,634 by Dec 6, including 281 patients still receiving treatment, six of whom were in severe conditions.

A total of 81,719 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 five suspected COVID-19 cases on the mainland as of Dec 6, and 5,758 close contacts remained under medical observation. 

Dec 6 also saw six newly reported asymptomatic cases arriving from outside the mainland. On the same day, One imported asymptomatic case was re-categorized as a confirmed case.

A total of 231 asymptomatic cases were under medical observation, all of which were imported cases, the commission said.

By the end of Dec 6, 6,897 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 5,567 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.