FILE PHOTO: People walk along Via del Corso, as Italy goes back to a complete lockdown during Christmas season as part of efforts put in place to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Rome, Italy, December 24, 2020. REUTERS/Yara Nardi
ROME (Reuters) -Italy reported 348 coronavirus-related deaths on Monday against 347 the day before, the health ministry said, while the daily tally of new infections fell to 10,800 from 14,245.
However, the number of swab tests also fell, as often happens at the weekend, amounting to just 77,993 against a previous 102,974.
Italy has registered 75,680 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 2.166 million cases to date, the health ministry said.
Patients in hospital with COVID-19 stood at 23,317 on Monday, up 242 on the day before. There were 136 admissions to intensive care units, compared with 154 on Sunday.
The current number of intensive care patients fell by four to 2,579, 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 Crispian Balmer; Editing by Angelo Amante)
