China reports 16 new COVID-19 cases, majority are asymptomatic

China has reported 16 new coronavirus cases, according to the country's National Health Commission (NHC), and the majority of the cases are asymptomatic.

China has reported 16 new coronavirus cases, according to the country's National Health Commission (NHC), and the majority of the cases are asymptomatic. As many as 78,046 patients have recovered and been discharged from hospitals, CNN reported the NHC as saying. A total of 836 asymptomatic patients are still under medical observation.

No new confirmed cases of the COVID-19 were reported from Hubei Province which was once a hub of the deadly contagion, Xinhua reported. While Wuhan, ground-zero of the global pandemic, has seen its urban life return to normal since its lockdown was lifted a month ago. According to the president of the Wuhan Dining Industry Association, out of some 50,000 restaurants in the city, 13.3 percent have resumed eat-in service and 45.6 percent restarted takeout service.

On Friday, Chinese President Xi Jinping presided over a symposium to hear comments and suggestions from the non-Communist Party of China (CPC) members on COVID-19 prevention and control. According to Johns Hopkins University, China has reported a total of 83,976 coronavirus cases, including 4,637 deaths.

China had last reported a coronavirus-related death on April 15 but the data released by the Chinese government is often frowned upon for lack of transparency.