China reports 776 new COVID cases for July 18 vs 598 day earlier

SHANGHAI, July 19 (Reuters) - Mainland China reported 776 new coronavirus cases for July 18, of which 237 were symptomatic and 539 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Tuesday.

That compared with 598 new cases a day earlier - 167 symptomatic and 431 asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately.

There were no new deaths, leaving the nation's fatalities at 5,226.

As of Monday, mainland China had confirmed 227,830 cases with symptoms.

China's capital Beijing reported zero new local symptomatic cases, the same as the previous day, and one asymptomatic case which was the first case in the city since July 10, compared with none a day earlier, the local government said.

Shanghai reported four new local symptomatic cases, compared with three a day earlier, and 19 local asymptomatic case versus 14 the previous day, local government data showed. (Reporting by Shanghai Newsroom; Writing by Liz Lee; Editing by Kim Coghill)