BEIJING -- The Chinese mainland on Tuesday reported 24 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases, including seven locally transmitted cases and 17 arriving from outside the mainland, the National Health Commission said Wednesday.

Five of the locally transmitted cases were reported in Northeast China's Liaoning province, and one each in Beijing and Heilongjiang, the commission said in its daily report.

No new suspected cases or deaths related to the disease were reported Tuesday, said the commission.

Sixteen COVID-19 patients on the Chinese mainland were discharged from hospitals following recovery on Tuesday.

By the end of Tuesday, a total of 4,247 imported cases had been reported on the mainland. Among them, 3,978 had been discharged from hospitals following recovery, and 269 remained hospitalized. No deaths had been reported among the imported cases.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on the mainland reached 87,027 by Tuesday, including 356 patients still receiving treatment.

A total of 82,037 patients had been discharged from hospitals following recovery on the mainland, and 4,634 had died as a result of the virus, according to the commission.

There were no suspected COVID-19 cases on the mainland on Tuesday, and 12,846 close contacts remained under medical observation.