国内英语新闻:Chinese mainland reports 63 new confirmed COVID-19 cases

BEIJING, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese health authority said Thursday it received reports of 63 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on the Chinese mainland Wednesday, of which 61 were imported.

Two new domestic cases were reported in Guangdong Province, the National Health Commission said.

Two deaths were reported in Hubei Province on Wednesday. A total of 17 new suspected cases -- 16 imported ones and one in Heilongjiang Province -- were reported on the mainland.

According to the commission, 91 people were discharged from hospitals after recovery, while the number of severe cases decreased by 13 to 176.

As of Wednesday, the mainland had reported a total of 1,103 imported cases. Of the cases, 374 had been discharged from hospitals after recovery, and 729 were being treated with 31 in severe condition, said the commission.

The overall confirmed cases on the mainland had reached 81,865 by Wednesday, including 1,160 patients who were still being treated, 77,370 people who had been discharged after recovery, and 3,335 people who died of the disease.

The commission said that 73 people were still suspected of being infected with the virus.

It added that 12,510 close contacts were still under medical observation. On Wednesday, 1,848 people were discharged from medical observation.

Also on Wednesday, 56 new asymptomatic COVID-19 cases, including 28 ones from abroad, were reported on the mainland. A total of 15 asymptomatic cases, all imported, were re-categorized as confirmed infections, and 32 were discharged from medical observation including seven imported cases, according to the commission.

The commission said 1,104 asymptomatic cases, including 364 from abroad, were still under medical observation.

By Wednesday, 960 confirmed cases including four deaths had been reported in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), 45 confirmed cases in the Macao SAR, and 379 in Taiwan including five deaths.

A total of 264 patients in Hong Kong, 10 in Macao and 67 in Taiwan had been discharged from hospitals after recovery.