HONG KONG, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection (CHP) reported 70 additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, taking its total tally to 9,867.

Of the new cases, 63 are local infections, with 16 of unknown origins, according to a CHP press briefing. The imported cases came from places including Nepal, Malaysia and Indonesia.

According to Hong Kong's Hospital Authority, 695 COVID-19 patients are currently being treated in public hospitals and the community treatment facility at AsiaWorld-Expo, and 37 of them are in critical condition.

A total of 163 COVID-19 patients have died in public hospitals so far.