Mainland China reports 16 new COVID-19 cases vs 20 a day earlier

FILE PHOTO: A medical worker in protective suit collects a swab from a child for nucleic acid testing, following new cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Qingdao, Shandong province, China October 13, 2020. Picture taken October 13, 2020. cnsphoto via REUTERS

Mainland China reported 16 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Oct. 26, down from 20 a day earlier, the country's health authorities said on Tuesday.

The number of new asymptomatic cases also fell to 50, from 161 reported a day earlier amid a fresh wave of symptomless infections being reported in the northwestern Xinjiang region.

Xinjiang's authorities said separately that 26 new asymptomatic cases were reported on Oct. 26, down from 137 a day earlier.

China does not classify asymptomatic infections as confirmed COVID-19 cases.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in mainland China now stands at 85,826, while the death toll remained unchanged at 4,634.

(Reporting by Jing Wang and Emily Chow; writing by Se Young Lee; Editing by Himani Sarkar)