Heilongjiang province reported one locally transmitted suspected case and two asymptomatic cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, the provincial health commission said.

The suspected case, which was reported in Dongning, is a 69-year-old male resident who had been in close contact with a confirmed case reported on Dec 10.

According to his epidemiological history and clinical manifestations, he was classified as a suspected case on Wednesday.

The two patients that were reported in Suifenhe — a 45-year-old female resident and a 58-year-old male security guard — were found to be positive on Wednesday and were then diagnosed as asymptomatic, the commission said.

Both of them had close contact with a confirmed case and an asymptomatic case reported during the recent outbreak in the city.

All three patients have been transported to a designated hospital for medical observation and treatment, and all their close contacts have been quarantined.

The authorities have disinfected and closed places they visited, the commission said.

Dongning and Suifenhe are important port cities on the China-Russia border in Heilongjiang.

As of Thursday, the province had reported 10 local confirmed cases, five local asymptomatic cases and a local suspected case since two cases — a 40-year-old maintenance worker at the customs office in Dongning and a 39-year-old stevedore who worked at a warehouse dealing with imports and exports in Suifenhe — were reported on Dec 10.