BEIJING — The Chinese mainland on Jan 16 reported 109 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 96 locally transmitted cases and 13 arriving from outside the mainland, the National Health Commission said on Jan 17.

Of the locally transmitted cases, 72 were reported in Hebei, 12 in Heilongjiang, 10 in Jilin, and two in Beijing, the commission said in its daily report.

A new suspected case arriving in Shanghai from outside the mainland was reported on Jan 16, said the commission.

By the end of Jan 16, a total of 4,502 imported cases had been reported on the mainland. Among them, 4,224 had been discharged from hospitals following recovery, and 278 remained hospitalized. No deaths had been reported among the imported cases.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on the mainland reached 88,227 by on Jan 16, including 1,205 patients still receiving treatment, 42 of whom were in severe condition.

A total of 82,387 patients had been discharged from hospitals following a recovery on the mainland, and 4,635 had died of the disease, according to the commission.

There were two suspected COVID-19 cases on the mainland as of Jan 16, and 34,150 close contacts remained under medical observation.

on Jan 16 saw 119 asymptomatic cases newly reported, of which 16 arrived from outside the mainland. On the same day, 32 asymptomatic cases were re-categorized as confirmed ones.

A total of 746 asymptomatic cases were under medical observation, of which 261 arrived from outside the mainland.

By the end of on Jan 16, 9,502 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 162 deaths, had been reported in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), 46 cases in the Macao SAR, and 850 cases, including seven deaths, in Taiwan.

A total of 8,724 COVID-19 patients in the Hong Kong SAR had been discharged from hospitals following recovery, 46 in the Macao SAR, and 751 in Taiwan.