HARBIN, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province reported 40 confirmed domestically transmitted COVID-19 cases and 50 new asymptomatic infections between 12:00 a.m. and 7 p.m. Wednesday, local health authorities said on Wednesday evening.

Fang Qingwei, deputy director of the Heilongjiang provincial health commission, said at a press conference that 36 of the confirmed cases and 40 of the new asymptomatic infections were reported in Wangkui County of Suihua City.

Dong Wenqin, executive vice mayor of Suihua, said that the gene sequencing of the virus strain taken from the cases in Suihua showed it is 100 percent homologous with the strain previously identified in Dalian, Liaoning Province.