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Italy has recorded 24,991 new coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry said, a record and an increase of 21,994 yesterday as cases rose in the northern Lombardy region.
The ministry also reported 205 Covid-related deaths compared to 221 the day before.
The number of swabs performed rose to a new record of 198,952 from 174,398 a day earlier.
Seeking to curb the spread of the virus, the government this week imposed new restrictions on the country.
He ordered the early closure of bars and restaurants and the closure of gyms, cinemas and theaters, among other measures.
A total of 37,905 people have died in Italy from the coronavirus, the second highest figure in Europe after Great Britain, while 589,766 cases of the disease have been recorded to date.
The northern region of Lombardy, which includes Italy’s financial capital Milan, was the epicenter of the country’s original epidemic earlier this year and remains by far the worst hit when the second wave hits.
The region reported 7,558 new cases today compared to 5,035 yesterday. The neighboring Piedmont region had the second highest count, with 2,827 cases.
Walter Ricciardi, a scientific advisor to the Health Ministry, was quoted as saying that both Milan and the southern city of Naples should be blocked.
The mayors of the two cities urged the government to reject the idea.
Today’s data showed that hospital admissions rose by 1,151 across Italy over the last day to 16,517, while intensive care patients increased by 125 to 1,536, more than when the government introduced a national shutdown in March.
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