HOHHOT -- The spreading of COVID-19 in the border city of Manzhouli in north China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region has been effectively contained, though risk still remains, the city government said on Dec 13.

Manzhouli reported three locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases from 12 am to 2 pm on Monday, all of whom had previously been put under medical observations or concentrated quarantine.

So far, the city has reported 537 local cases in the latest outbreak. Thirty-two have been discharged from the hospital.

According to Qi Shanjian, a local official, no sporadic cases in the city have been found anymore, meaning the risk of community transmission has been effectively contained. As of 2 pm Monday, 139 communities in the city were still under closed-off management.