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China reported 11 new mainland Covid cases on 17 February official data showed on Thursday, up from seven a day earlier but once again there were no locally transmitted infections.
The National Health Commission said in a statement that all new cases were imported infections that originated from overseas. New asymptomatic cases, which China does not classify as confirmed Covid cases, rose to 20 from six a day earlier.
The total number of confirmed Covid cases in mainland China now stands at 89,806, while the death toll remained unchanged at 4,636.
Japanese Olympics Minister Seiko Hashimoto intends to accept the job of head of the beleaguered Tokyo 2020 games – postponed last year due to the pandemic – the organising committee for the games in Japan, Kyodo news agency said on Thursday, replacing Yoshiro Mori, who resigned after making sexist remarks.