China has reported 42 new Covid-19 cases, the highest daily toll in more than two months due to a rise in infections in the northwestern Xinjiang region, the country’s health authority said.

Of the new cases, 22 in the city of Kashgar in Xinjiang were previously asymptomatic patients. The region’s health authorities also reported another 19 symptomless infections, which China does not recognise as confirmed Covid-19 cases, which accounted for half the new asymptomatic cases reported.

The daily toll marks the highest since 44 confirmed infections were reported on Aug 10, though it remains far off the peaks in February at the height of the outbreak in mainland China that forced the country into a virtual standstill.