China reports major drop in new virus cases to 397

China said Saturday daily count of new virus cases has fallen significantly to 397, with ar 109 people dying of disease, most in epicenter of Hubei province.

new figures bring total number of cases in mainland China to 76,288 with 2,345 deaths, as strict quarantine measures and travel bans continue to contain disease that emerged in China in December and has since spre world-wide. daily figure is down from 889 on Friday.

South Korea has become newest front in a global outbreak, reporting Friday that 204 people h been infected, quruple number of cases it h two days earlier. Schools were shuttered Friday, churches told worshipers to stay away and some mass garings were banned.