The Chinese mainland reported no new domestically-transmitted cases of COVID-19 for April 6, and the number of domestically-transmitted severe cases dropped below 200 for the first time, according to the National Health Commission (NHC).

A total of 32 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported on the Chinese mainland for April 6, all of which were imported from abroad, the NHC spokesperson Mi Feng said on April 7 at a press conference.

Of the imported cases, 20 were reported in Heilongjiang, three in Inner Mongolia, two in Liaoning, two in Shanghai and one in Zhejiang, Fujian, Shandong, Guangdong and Sichuan respectively.

No deaths were reported, while 12 suspected cases, all imported ones, were reported on April 6.

As of the end of April 6, 1,242 confirmed cases were still under medical treatment on the mainland. Among them, 211 were severe cases, including 21 imported ones, Mi said.

The total number of imported COVID-19 cases reported on the mainland had reached 983 by the end of April 6, including 698 patients who were still being treated and 285 cured patients who had been discharged from hospitals.

The existing imported cases have outnumbered the existing domestic ones, adding to the pressure on the cities of entry in terms of medical treatment, virus control, nucleic acid test and quarantine facilities, he said.

The task of epidemic prevention and control remains arduous in China as the country still faces the risks of sporadic new cases, either locally transmitted or linked to imported cases and local outbreaks of COVID-19, according to Mi.