ROME (Reuters) – Italy reported 548 coronavirus-related deaths on Wednesday against 649 the day before, the health ministry said, while the daily tally of new infections rose to 20,331 from 15,378.
Some 178,596 swab tests were carried out in the past day, the ministry said, against a previous 135,106.
Italy has registered 76,877 COVID-19 deaths since its outbreak came to light on Feb. 21, the highest toll in Europe and the fifth highest in the world. The country has also reported 2.201 million cases to date, the health ministry said.
Patients in hospital with COVID-19 stood at 23,174 on Wednesday, down 221 from the day before. There were 183 admissions to intensive care units, compared with 202 on Tuesday.
The current number of intensive care patients rose by 2 to 2,571, reflecting those who died or were discharged after recovery.
When Italy’s second wave of the epidemic was accelerating fast in the first half of November, hospital admissions were rising by about 1,000 per day, while intensive care occupancy was increasing by about 100 per day.
(Reporting by Giulia Segreti, editing Francesca Piscioneri)
