BERLIN - The rate of new cases of Germans contracting a deadly strain of E.coli bacteria are declining significantly, German Health Minister Daniel Bahr told German television on Wednesday.

"There will be new cases and unfortunately we have to expect more deaths, but the number of new infections are dropping significantly," Bahr said in an interview with ARD television channel. "I cannot sound the all clear, but after analysing the latest data we have reasonable cause for hope."

Bahr sounded more upbeat than on Tuesday, when he said he was "cautiously optimistic" that the worst was over.