Italy has today registered 2,729 new cases of coronavirus, on a sample of 52,126 swab tests taken in the past 24 hours. The country has also registered another record in terms of recoveries, at 2,723 in one day, however there was a slight reversal in the death tally which has gone up again to 535, that’s 80 more than Monday.
Hospitals and healthcare professionals continue to breath some sighs of relief as 102 further intensive care beds emptied today.
The number of active cases has decreased again (-528).
This data was largely reflected in the worst affected region of Lombardy, which had 960 new cases, (735 on Monday), while 203 people died, 40 more than the day before. Like the rest of the country, Lombardy has registered significant decreases in patients requiring both intensive and standard hospitalisation.
Earlier this afternoon, during an intervention in Italy’s Upper House, the Senate, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said that social distancing and facemasks will be needed in phase two of the coronavirus emergency until a vaccine is ready for use. He re-iterated the authorities’ intention to use a contact tracing app which will be entirely voluntary and without penalization.
Referring to economic and business support measures, Conte said that the 50 billion euro decree that will be implemented will “reactivate the country’s economic engine with a structured programme”. Conte argued that the pandemic brought about the risk of new poverty, so assistance needed to be stronger, particularly for those who have little or no income.
