Italy has recorded a total of 3405 deaths, compared to China’s 3245.
The number of deaths reported on Thursday was lower than the record high of 475 fatalities on Wednesday – the highest official one-day death toll in the world.
The number of confirmed cases in Italy also jumped to 41,035 on Thursday, up from 35,713 in 24 hours.
This figure includes the deceased as well as 4440 patients who have recovered from the virus.
Italian hospitals now have almost 2500 patients in intensive care.
Italian news agency ANSAA said the deaths of two more doctors in the northern town of Como on Thursday brought the total number of medics killed by the new disease to 13.
Nineteen of Italy’s 20 regions have recorded at least one death linked to the virus.
The only region which has not reported any fatalities is Basilicata in the south.
It will take days or weeks before Italy sees the numbers of infected and deceased stop rising after it implemented quarantine measures, experts said on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, China marked a major milestone in the battle to limit the spread on Thursday, reporting no new locally transmitted coronavirus cases for the first time since the pandemic began.
