BEIJING -- The Chinese mainland on Monday reported 55 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases, of whom 42 were locally transmitted and the rest arrived from outside the mainland, the National Health Commission said on Jan 12.

Of the locally transmitted cases, 40 were reported in north China's Hebei Province, and one each in Beijing and Heilongjiang province, the commission said in its daily report.

No new suspected cases or deaths related to the disease were reported, said the commission, adding that 31 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals following recovery on Monday.

By the end of Monday, a total of 4,443 imported cases had been reported on the mainland. Among them, 4,152 had been discharged from hospitals following recovery, and 291 remained hospitalized. No deaths had been reported among the imported cases.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on the mainland reached 87,591 by Monday, including 697 patients still receiving treatment, 18 of whom were in severe condition.

A total of 82,260 patients had been discharged following recovery on the mainland, and 4,634 had died of the disease, according to the commission.

There were no suspected COVID-19 cases on the mainland on Monday, and 27,830 close contacts remained under medical observation.

Monday saw 81 asymptomatic cases newly reported, of whom 10 arrived from outside the mainland. On the same day, five asymptomatic cases were re-categorized as confirmed ones.

A total of 565 asymptomatic cases were under medical observation, of whom 256 arrived from outside the mainland.