SHANGHAI: China reported 24,473 new COVID-19 infections on Nov. 18, of which 2,137 were symptomatic and 22,336 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Saturday.

That compared with 25,353 new cases a day earlier – 2,362 symptomatic and 22,991 asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately.

Excluding imported infections, China reported 24,263 new local cases, of which 2,055 were symptomatic and 22,208 were asymptomatic, down from 25,129 a day earlier.

There were no new deaths, the same as a day earlier, keeping fatalities at 5,226. As of Friday, mainland China had confirmed 283,930 cases with symptoms.

China’s capital Beijing reported 79 symptomatic and 436 asymptomatic cases, compared with 100 symptomatic and 366 asymptomatic cases the previous day, local government data showed.

China COVID numbers rise, as cities cut back on testing

Guangzhou, a city in the south of nearly 19 million people, reported 269 new locally transmitted symptomatic and 8,444 asymptomatic cases, compared with 255 symptomatic and 8,989 asymptomatic cases a day before, local authorities said.

Major manufacturing hub Zhengzhou reported 182 new symptomatic locally transmitted COVID infections and 1,385 asymptomatic cases, compared with 107 symptomatic and 1,556 asymptomatic cases a day before, according to local government data.

Chongqing reported 145 new symptomatic locally transmitted COVID infections and 4,599 asymptomatic cases, compared with 193 symptomatic and 4,473 asymptomatic cases the previous day, local government authorities said.