The other seven new cases were domestically transmitted, the National Health Commission said in a daily report, noting that all were reported in Heilongjiang Province.

No deaths were reported Tuesday on the mainland. Three new suspected cases, all imported ones, were also reported.

According to the commission, 28 people were discharged from hospitals after recovery Tuesday, while the number of severe cases dropped by four to 78

As of Tuesday, the mainland had reported a total of 1,610 imported cases. Of the cases, 799 had been discharged from hospitals after recovery, and 811 were being treated with 41 in severe conditions, said the commission.

No deaths from the imported cases had been reported, it added.

The overall confirmed cases on the mainland had reached 82,788 by Tuesday, including 1,005 patients who were still being treated and 77,151 people who had been discharged after recovery, the commission said.

Altogether 4,632 people had died of the disease, it said.

The commission said that 35 people, including 30 from abroad, were still suspected of being infected with the virus.

It added that 8,796 close contacts were still under medical observation. On Tuesday, 784 people were discharged from medical observation.

Also on Tuesday, 42 new asymptomatic cases, including seven from abroad, were reported on the mainland. One domestic asymptomatic case was re-categorized as confirmed case, and 42 people, 15 of whom were from abroad, were discharged from medical observation, according to the commission.

The commission said 991 asymptomatic cases, including 172 from abroad, were still under medical observation.

By Tuesday, 1,029 confirmed cases including four deaths had been reported in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), 45 confirmed cases in the Macao SAR, and 425 in Taiwan including six deaths.

A total of 650 patients in Hong Kong, 24 in Macao and 217 in Taiwan had been discharged from hospitals after recovery.