BEIJING — The Chinese mainland reported nine new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases on Oct 18, the National Health Commission said in its daily report on Oct 19.

Of the new local cases, five were reported in Shaanxi, two in Inner Mongolia, and one each in Hunan and Ningxia.

Also reported were 16 new imported cases, of which five were reported in Shanghai, four in Yunnan, three in Guangdong, two in Hunan and one each in Fujian and Gansu, according to the commission.

One new suspected case, arriving from outside the mainland, was reported in Shanghai as well, the commission added.

No new deaths related to COVID-19 were reported on Oct 18, said the commission.

A total of 9,438 imported cases had been reported on the mainland by the end of Oct 18. Among them, 8,981 had been discharged from hospitals following recovery, and 457 remained hospitalized. No deaths had been reported among the imported cases.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on the mainland had reached 96,571 by Oct 18, including 514 patients still receiving treatment, one of whom was in severe condition.

A total of 91,421 patients had been discharged from hospitals following recovery on the mainland, and 4,636 had died as a result of the virus.

A total of 19 asymptomatic cases were newly reported, of whom 17 were from outside the mainland. There were a total of 356 asymptomatic cases, of whom 341 were imported, under medical observation as of Oct 18.

By the end of Oct 18, 12,299 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 213 deaths, had been reported in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), while 77 cases had been reported in the Macao SAR, and 16,337 cases, including 846 deaths, had been reported in Taiwan.

A total of 11,994 COVID-19 patients in the Hong Kong SAR had been discharged from hospitals following recovery, while 66 had been discharged in the Macao SAR, and 13,742 had been discharged in Taiwan.