Italy, the world’s hardest hit country which accounts for more than a third of all global fatalities, recorded its total death tally rise to 11,591 since the outbreak emerged in northern regions on February 21.
A total of 61 doctors have died during the pandemic in Italy, according to the national federation of doctors FNOMCeO, including at least 22 in the past week.
More than 31,000 people are currently in hospital with coronavirus, including nearly 4000 in intensive care.
More positively, the number of new cases rose by just 4050, the lowest amount since March 17, reaching a total of 101,739.
Another 14,620 people have recovered, including 1590 in the past 24 hours – the highest number of recoveries in a single day since the outbreak began.
That leaves Italy with 75,528 active cases of coronavirus.
That figure grew by 1648 in the past 24 hours, slowing markedly from the 3815 new active cases reported on Sunday.
Deputy Health Minister Pierpaolo Sileri said the latest data showed that Italy was on course to start seeing “a drop in the number of people infected within seven to 10 days”.
While the latest people to die may have been infected before Italy imposed its nationwide quarantine, authorities are hoping that the slowdown in new cases is a sign that the drastic measures imposed two and a half weeks ago are beginning to bear fruit.
Officials said the restrictions, which were due to end on Friday, look certain for at least two more weeks.
