No COVID-19 deaths reported in China for the first time since January

BEIJING: No COVID-19 deaths were reported in China on Tuesday (Apr 7), the first time since it started publishing daily figures in January, the National Health Commission said.

Cases in mainland China have been dwindling since March, but the country faces a second wave of infections brought in from overseas.

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It reported 32 new cases on Monday, down from 39 cases a day earlier.

All of the cases reported on Monday involved travellers arriving from overseas, bringing the overall number of imported infections so far to 983, the health authority said in its statement.

READ: WHO warns masks are no 'silver bullet' for ending COVID-19 pandemic

There were also 30 new asymptomatic infections, said health officials, with about a quarter of the current total of asymptomatic cases also imported from overseas.

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The total number of confirmed cases in mainland China stood at 81,740 as of Monday, according to the authority, with 3,331 fatalities.

READ: Solidarity? When it comes to masks, it's every nation for itself

Last week, China began disclosing the number of asymptomatic cases for the first time, after growing public concerns over the potential of "silent" carriers to spread the disease.

Fears have also been growing over a potential resurgence in the epicentre of Wuhan, where the virus was first detected late last year.

After a number of asymptomatic cases were confirmed in the central Chinese city, local authorities revoked the "epidemic-free" status Read More – Source