SHANGHAI, Sept 17 (Reuters) - China reported 718 new COVID-19 infections on Sept. 16, of which 140 were symptomatic and 578 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Saturday.

That compares with 986 new cases a day earlier – 161 symptomatic and 825 asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately.

There were no new deaths, same as a day earlier, keeping the nation's fatalities at 5,226.

As of Sept. 16, mainland China had confirmed 248,025 cases with symptoms.

China's capital Beijing reported zero new local symptomatic cases and zero asymptomatic cases, compared with two symptomatic and zero asymptomatic cases a day earlier, according to local government data.

Financial hub Shanghai reported zero local symptomatic and one asymptomatic case, compared with three local symptomatic and no asymptomatic cases the day before, local government data showed.

China's southern technology hub of Shenzhen, which eased anti-virus restrictions after a strict lockdown for most residents, reported two new locally transmitted COVID infections, compared with three a day earlier.

The southwestern metropolis Chengdu, which had also been under lockdown earlier this month, reported one new locally transmitted COVID infection, compared with 20 a day earlier, data from the local government showed. (Reporting by Engen Tham and Wu Fang; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)