BEIJING — China's National Health Commission said on Dec 2 that it received reports of nine newly confirmed COVID-19 cases on the Chinese mainland on Dec 1, including two domestically transmitted cases and seven imported ones.

All the domestically transmitted cases were reported in Inner Mongolia, the commission said in its daily report.

One new suspected case, who arrived from outside the mainland, was reported on Dec 1 in Shanghai, the commission said. No new deaths related to the disease were reported.

A total of 18 COVID-19 patients were newly discharged from hospitals after recovery on the Chinese mainland on Dec 1.

By the end of Dec 1, a total of 3,873 imported cases had been reported on the mainland. Among them, 3,638 had been discharged from hospitals following recovery, and 235 remained hospitalized. No deaths had been reported among the imported cases.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on the mainland reached 86,551 by Dec 1, including 268 patients still receiving treatment, eight of whom were in severe conditions.

A total of 81,649 patients had been discharged following recovery on the mainland, and 4,634 had died of the virus, according to the commission.

There were seven suspected COVID-19 cases on the mainland on Dec 1, and 6,753 close contacts remained under medical observation.

Dec 1 saw three newly reported asymptomatic cases, one of whom arrived from outside the mainland. On the same day, one asymptomatic case was re-categorized as a confirmed case.

A total of 259 asymptomatic cases were under medical observation, including 254 who arrived from outside the mainland.

By the end of Dec 1, 6,396 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 109 deaths, had been reported in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), with 46 confirmed cases reported in Macao SAR, and 675 cases, including seven deaths, in Taiwan.

A total of 5,361 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 565 in Taiwan.