The Civil Protection Department said Thursday that the number of new coronavirus cases in Italy has risen for the third consecutive day.
It said there have been 593 new cases in the last 24 hours, up from 584 on Wednesday, 397 on Tuesday and 300 on Monday.
Of the new cases, 382 were in Lombardy, the worst-hit region, accounting for 64.4% of the national increase. There are four regions with zero new infections: Umbria, Sardinia, Calabria and Basilicata.
The department said 33,142 people have died after contracting COVID-19 here, up 70 in one day. Wednesday's rise in the death toll was 117. New deaths in Lombardy were 20, compared to 58 on Wednesday.
Eight regions - Sicily, Umbria, Sardinia, Valle d'Aosta, Calabria, Molise, Basilicata and Trentino Alto Adige - had no fresh victims.
The number of people who have recovered from the coronavirus rose 3,503 to 150,604.
As a result, the number of people currently infected fell by 2,980 to 47,986. Wednesday's drop was 1,976.
The total number of COVID-19 cases in Italy, including the currently positive, the deceased and those who have recovered, is now 231,732. The department said the number of coronavirus patients in intensive care in Italy fell 16 to 489 Thursday, the lowest since March 6.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
