Mayor in virus-hit South Korean city says outbreak may be slowing

FILE PHOTO: Women wearing masks to prevent contracting the coronavirus take a walk at a Han River park in Namyangju, South Korea March 7, 2020. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File Photo

SEOUL (Reuters) - The mayor of the South Korean city hardest hit by that country's coronavirus outbreak expressed cautious hope on Sunday that the numbers of new cases may be dropping, after the rate of increase slowed to its lowest in 10 days.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Sunday 272 new coronavirus cases, for a total of 7,313 in the country. Two further deaths took the toll to 50, it added.