Italy records highest number of daily coronavirus cases since May
The Local Italy - [email protected]
Published: 19 Aug, 2020 CET.
Updated: Wed 19 Aug 2020 18:49 CET
Italy on Wednesday logged the sharpest rise in coronavirus cases since late May, the health ministry said.
Within one day, Italian health authorities reported 642 new coronavirus infections.
The last time a higher number was registered was May 23rd, with 669 new infections. The peak of new daily recorded infections was in late March, with more than 6,500.
The number of swabs taken rose by almost 20,000 on Tuesday, to 71,000 in a day, the ministry said.
The regions which recorded the biggest rises were Lombardy (+91) and Emilia Romagna (+76).
The total number of Italian cases recorded since the start of the pandemic is now 255,278.
With seven more fatalities recorded on Tuesday, the death toll now stands at 35,412.
Over the weekend, Italian authorities ordered the closure of nightclubs and tightened mask-wearing rules after the number of new cases detected in the country rose from 200-300 to 600 within one week.
Many of Italy's new cases have been attributed to holidaymakers - often Italians returning from abroad, health authorities said.
Italy is the second-hardest hit country in Europe after the UK in terms of deaths from Covid-19, and was the first country outside of China to suffer an outbreak of Covid-19. However, Italy is generally viewed as having managed the crisis relatively well, with infection rates dropping following a strict and lengthy lockdown.
Italian government ministers and health experts have repeatedly insisted over the past week that, though cases have been rising again, outbreaks can be kept under control.
Authorities are urging people to continue to take basic precautions - wearing masks in public places, frequent hand-washing, and maintaining a distance from others.
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Within one day, Italian health authorities reported 642 new coronavirus infections.
The last time a higher number was registered was May 23rd, with 669 new infections. The peak of new daily recorded infections was in late March, with more than 6,500.
The number of swabs taken rose by almost 20,000 on Tuesday, to 71,000 in a day, the ministry said.
The regions which recorded the biggest rises were Lombardy (+91) and Emilia Romagna (+76).
The total number of Italian cases recorded since the start of the pandemic is now 255,278.
With seven more fatalities recorded on Tuesday, the death toll now stands at 35,412.
Over the weekend, Italian authorities ordered the closure of nightclubs and tightened mask-wearing rules after the number of new cases detected in the country rose from 200-300 to 600 within one week.
Many of Italy's new cases have been attributed to holidaymakers - often Italians returning from abroad, health authorities said.
Italy is the second-hardest hit country in Europe after the UK in terms of deaths from Covid-19, and was the first country outside of China to suffer an outbreak of Covid-19. However, Italy is generally viewed as having managed the crisis relatively well, with infection rates dropping following a strict and lengthy lockdown.
Italian government ministers and health experts have repeatedly insisted over the past week that, though cases have been rising again, outbreaks can be kept under control.
Authorities are urging people to continue to take basic precautions - wearing masks in public places, frequent hand-washing, and maintaining a distance from others.
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