The mainland reported two new Covid-19 deaths for December 18, compared with none the previous day, increasing the nation's fatalities to 5,237, the National Health Commission said on Monday.

Health authorities reported 1,918 new local symptomatic cases, down from 2,028 a day earlier.

As of December 18, the mainland had confirmed 380,453 cases with symptoms.

Mainland authorities have stopped reporting asymptomatic cases, citing a lack of testing among people with no symptoms that was making it difficult to accurately tally the total count. (Reuters)