The number of new asymptomatic cases, which China does not classify as confirmed COVID-19 cases, rose to 16 from 10 a day earlier, the National Health Commission said in a statement.
The number of travellers during the period, when hundreds of millions typically return home for family visits or go sightseeing, is expected to be down sharply this year amid heightened precautions.
The number of new asymptomatic cases, which China does not classify as confirmed cases, fell to 38 from 81 cases a day earlier. Seven of those were reported in Jilin, another northeastern provicne that borders Heilongjiang, underscoring the risk of transmission into differnet parts of the country.
The team was initially aiming to arrive in early January for the investigation but their arrival was delayed due to lack of authorisation from Beijing.