A citizen receives COVID-19 nucleic acid test at a COVID-19 testing site in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province, Feb 22, 2022. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

BEIJING - The Chinese mainland on Friday reported 596 locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, the National Health Commission said Saturday.

Altogether 3,063 local asymptomatic carriers were newly identified

Altogether 3,063 local asymptomatic carriers were newly identified.

A total of 251 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovery on the Chinese mainland on Friday, said the commission in its daily report.

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The total number of COVID-19 patients discharged from hospitals after recovery reached 251,737 on the Chinese mainland as of Friday.

Friday saw no new deaths from COVID-19, with the total death toll at 5,226.