No new local COVID-19 infection for first time in nearly 2 months, says China's Health Ministry

China reported no new locally transmitted mainland COVID-19 case for the first time in nearly two months, official data showed on Monday (February 8), adding to signs that it has managed to stamp out the latest wave of the disease.

Representational image (Picture courtesy: Reuters)

SHANGHAI: China reported no new locally transmitted mainland COVID-19 case for the first time in nearly two months, official data showed on Monday (February 8), indicating that it has managed to stamp out the latest wave of the disease.

The total number of COVID-19 cases rose slightly to 14 infections in February. A day earlier, the number rose from seven to twelve, the National Health Commission said in a statement, but all were imported infections from overseas. Seven of the cases were in Shanghai, the rest in the southeastern Guangdong province.

This marked the first time China has had zero local infections since December 16, 2020, suggesting the aggressive steps taken by authorities managed to stop the disease from spreading further from major clusters in Hebei province surrounding Beijing and the northeastern Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces.

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 total number of COVID-19 cases in mainland China stands at 89,706, while the death toll is unchanged at 4,636.