China, where the coronavirus outbreak first erupted in December, has logged fewer new infections, but measures restricting movement across the country have tightened in some places due to fear of imported cases.
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China had 35 new cases of the disease on April 1, all of which were imported, the National Health Commission said on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the central province of Hunan, which had recently downgraded its emergency response to the lowest level, reported its first imported infection on Wednesday, state media reported on Thursday, citing the provincial health commission.
Chinese authorities remain concerned about the risks posed by imported cases of COVID-19, and have in recent days banned foreign passport holders from entering and ordered a sharp reduction in the number of international flights.
China has also seen a gradual reintroduction of restrictions, including closures of cinemas that had been permitted to reopen, amid worries that early relaxation of lockdowns could spark a second wave of infections.
On Wednesday, a county in the central province of Henan said it had banned people from leaving without proper authorisation, and prevented residents from leaving their homes for work without clearance following several cases of coronavirus infection in the area.
The number of new asymptomatic cases fell sharply to 55 on April 1, from 130 the day before.
Users of Chinese social media have expressed fear that carriers with no symptoms could be spreading the virus unknowingly, especially as authorities ease curbs on travel for previous hotspots now that infections have subsided.
Last week, WHO epidemiologist Maria van Kerkhove said symptomatic patients were the main drivers of transmission, while most of those classified as asymptomatic developed symptoms a few days after diagnosis.
Australian Associated Press
