Chinese authorities on Sunday announced a drop in new cases of coronavirus for the third day in a row.
The outbreak has so far infected at least 69,000 people around the world after starting in China, where 1,665 have died as a result.
There’s been one death in France and three others outside China: one each in Hong Kong, Japan and the Philippines.
China’s National Health Commission spokesman said on Sunday that the measures the country has taken to stop the spread of the virus are having a positive effect.
Mi Feng said the proportion of cases deemed severe has dropped from 15,9% in January to 7,2%.
While China’s response to the outbreak has been praised, some observers say it has become apparent that the country’s leadership was aware of the potential gravity of the situation well before the alarm was sounded.
Cruise ship infections
Elsewhere, Japan said on Sunday that 70 new contagions of COVID-19, as the virus is officially called, have been detected on a quarantined cruise ship in Yokohama.
The United States and other countries are preparing to evacuate their citizens on board the liner.
Japan says 355 infections have now been confirmed on the Diamond Princess.
In another development, Japanese carmaker Toyota has decided to re-open three of its four facilities based in China.
The plants had been hampered by problems in the supply of components derived from the outbreak.