SHANGHAI: Mainland China recorded 17 new COVID-19 cases on Dec. 23, up from 15 cases the previous day, said the country's health authority on Thursday.

The National Health Commission said in its daily bulletin that 11 of the new cases were imported. Of the locally transmitted cases, six came from the northeastern province of Liaoning.

Additionally, 19 asymptomatic cases were reported on Dec. 23, up from 14 the previous day. China does not include asymptomatic patients in its total confirmed case list.

Mainland China has now reported a total of 86,899 coronavirus cases, while the death toll remained unchanged at 4,634.