BEIJING, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Eight COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospital after recovery on the Chinese mainland Saturday, the National Health Commission said Sunday.

Altogether 78,227 patients had been cured and discharged from hospital by the end of Saturday, the commission said in its daily report.

As of Saturday, a total of 82,947 confirmed COVID-19 cases had been reported on the mainland, and 4,634 people had died of the disease.