Staff members help inbound passengers transfer luggage at the New China International Exhibition Center in Beijing, capital of China, March 17, 2020. (File photo: Xinhua)

Chinese health authority said Friday it received reports of 55 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on the Chinese mainland on Thursday, 54 of which were imported from abroad.

By the end of Thursday, 595 imported cases had been reported, according to the National Health Commission.

Also on Thursday, five new deaths and 49 new suspected cases were reported on the mainland. 537 people were discharged from hospital after recovery, while the number of severe cases decreased by 201 to 1,034.