China reports drop in new coronavirus cases

China on Thursday reported the biggest drop in new cases from the corona­virus outbreak in nearly a month.

China on Thursday reported the biggest drop in new cases from the corona­virus outbreak in nearly a month.

In South Korea, however, the mayor of Daegu on Thursday urged its 2.5 million people to refrain from going outside as cases in the country spiked.

Kwon Young-jin made the request in a televised news conference after the southeastern city and its nearby towns reported 35 extra cases of infection with the new coronavirus. South Korea has reported 82 cases of COVID-19.

In China, the National Health Commission said more than 74,500 people had been infected nationwide by the virus, which emerged in central Hubei province in December.

The death toll hit 2118 on Thursday after 114 new deaths were reported, most in Hubei, with most of those in the provincial capital, Wuhan.

Hubei health officials on Thursday said there had been 615 new cases in Wuhan and 13 elsewhere in the province.

The number of new cases spiked last week after Hubei health officials changed the way they counted cases. Outside Hubei, the number of cases has been falling, with only 45 more cases reported on Thursday.

AFP, AP