BEIJING — China's National Health Commission said on Dec 20 that it received reports of 23 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases on the Chinese mainland on Dec 19, one of which was locally transmitted in Liaoning.

Twenty-two cases were imported from outside the mainland, the commission said in its daily report.

No new suspected cases or deaths related to the disease were reported on Dec 19.

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

By the end of Dec 19, a total of 4,115 imported cases had been reported on the mainland. Among them, 3,848 had been discharged from hospitals following recovery, and 267 remained hospitalized. No deaths had been reported among the imported cases.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on the mainland reached 86,829 by Dec 19, including 309 patients still receiving treatment.

A total of 81,886 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 19, and 6,596 close contacts remained under medical observation.

Dec 19 also saw 10 newly reported asymptomatic cases on the mainland. On the same day, one asymptomatic case was re-categorized as a confirmed one.

A total of 205 asymptomatic cases were under medical observation, out of which 183 were imported cases, the commission said.

By the end of Dec 19, 8,078 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 129 deaths, had been reported in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), while 46 confirmed cases had been reported in Macao SAR, and 763 cases, including seven deaths, in Taiwan.

Altogether 6,737 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 625 in Taiwan.