BEIJING -- The Chinese mainland on Thursday reported 259 locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 59 in Sichuan and 42 in Inner Mongolia, according to the National Health Commission's report Friday.

A total of 1,033 local asymptomatic carriers were newly identified.

A total of 336 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovery on the Chinese mainland on Thursday, bringing the total number of COVID-19 patients discharged from hospitals after recovery to 234,876.

Thursday saw no new deaths from COVID-19, with the total death toll at 5,226.