BEIJING — China's National Health Commission said on Dec 9 that it received reports of 15 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases on the Chinese mainland on Dec 8, four of which were locally transmitted in Sichuan province.

Eleven cases were imported from outside the mainland, 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 11 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovery on the Chinese mainland on Dec 8.

By the end of Dec 8, a total of 3,969 imported cases had been reported on the mainland. Among them, 3,727 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 86,661 by Dec 8, including 284 patients still receiving treatment.

A total of 81,743 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 8, and 6,421 close contacts remained under medical observation.

Dec 8 also saw one newly reported asymptomatic case on the mainland. On the same day, one imported asymptomatic case was re-categorized as a confirmed one.

A total of 210 asymptomatic cases were under medical observation, out of which 202 were imported cases, the commission said.

By the end of Dec 8, 7,075 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 718 cases, including seven deaths, in Taiwan.

Altogether 5,696 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 582 in Taiwan.