Italy posts more grim coronavirus records as deaths, cases rise

Members of the medical staff in protective suits treat patients suffering from COVID-19 in an intensive care unit at the San Raffaele hospital in Milan                                                      [Flavio Lo Scalzo/Reuters]

Italy has posted more grim records related to the new coronavirus, becoming on Friday the second country after the United States to overtake China in terms of infections as it announced almost 1,000 deaths in a day – a worldwide record since the epidemic began.

Officials said the number of cases had risen to 86,498 in Italy, as 919 more people died in the space of 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 9,132 – the world’s highest.

Italy’s 4,401 new contagions in one day mean a 6.6 percent daily increase that is consistent with the trend recorded in recent days.

The gruesome milestones nevertheless came on the same day Italian health officials said they were seeing a slight slowing down in new positive cases, two weeks into a nationwide lockdown.

Officials said the number of cases had risen to 86,498 in Italy, as 919 more people died in the space of 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 9,132 – the world’s highest.

 

Navy Vet

Article URL : https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/03/italy-posts-grim-coronavirus-records-deaths-cases-rise-200327165352398.html