New Virus Cases In China Drop Again; Deaths Top 2,000

BEIJING (AP) – New virus cases in China continued to fall, with 1,749 new infections and 136 new deaths after China’s leader said disease prevention and control was at “a critical time.” Japan also confirmed more infections of the new coronavirus on the Diamond Princess cruise ship, bringing the total to 542. The quarantine of the ship’s passengers and crew ends later Wednesday. The updated figures on the virus for mainland China bring the total for cases to 74,185 and deaths to 2,004. New cases have fallen to under 2,000 daily for the past two days. Hong Kong has reported the second death in the city.