COVID: 20,499 new cases, 253 more deaths

(ANSA) - ROME, FEB 26 - There have been 20,499 new COVID-19 cases, and 253 more deaths from the virus, in Italy in the last 24 hours, the health ministry said Friday.
    This compares with 19,886 fresh cases and 308 new deaths Thursday.
    Some 325,404 more tests have been carried out in the last 24 hours, down from 353,704 Thursday.
    The positivity rate has risen 0.7% to 6.3%.
    Intensive care cases have risen 26 to 2,194, and hospital admissions by 35 to 18,292.
    The death toll since the start of the epidemic is now 97,227.
    (ANSA).