China reports 63 new coronavirus cases in mainland vs 32 a day earlier

Mainland China reported 63 new COVID-19 cases on Jan. 6, the country's national health authority said on Thursday, nearly doubling from a day earlier amid a spike in new local infections in Hebei province surrounding Beijing.

The National Health Commission, in a statement, said Hebei accounted for all but one of the new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases while the total of imported infections also rose to 11 from nine a day earlier.

The commission also reported 79 new asymptomatic patients, those who are infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 but not yet showing symptoms of the disease, up from 64 a day earlier.