Coronavirus: Italy Death Count Rises To 631, Over 10,000 Test Positive

Italy’s death count from the new coronavirus rose up by 168 in a day to 631 on Wednesday. The total number of confirmed cases in Italy rose to 10,149 from a previous 9,172, an increase of 10.7 per cent. Italy has logged the most deaths of any nation outside China and recorded the second-most COVID-19 infections across globe. Over 1,000 patients are in good health compared to 724 the day before, Italy officials said. Some 877 people were in intensive care against a previous 733.

The majority of fatalities were in the Lombardy region in northern Italy. The virus was officially named COVID-19 at a conference in Geneva held by the World Health Organization, where the body's chief said countries still have a chance of stopping its global spread.

Italy's prime minister announced a far-reaching coronavirus quarantine last week, restricting the actions of about a quarter of the entire population. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte signed a ruling quarantining about 16 million people. The unusual measures will be in place until April 3.

Italy prisons witness clashes

Italy reported 11 deaths till Tuesday from prison riots linked to the new coronavirus. Jails have been ordered to stop appointments and limit day releases as part of a government response to the virus. Relatives assembled outside many of the jails in dissent over the measures.

The novel virus reportedly first originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December last year and has claimed over 4,000 lives globally. In China, the virus has already claimed over 3,100 lives. Near 1 lakh people have now been infected with the COVID-19 strain in the mainland.

In Iran, death toll continued to witness northward trend which included a politician as well. A newly elected MP from Tehran was the second Iranian lawmaker to succumb to the deadly virus, state news agency IRNA reported

Fatemeh Rahbar, 55, served as MP from 2004 to 2016 and was among the top candidates in Tehran for the conservatives, who overwhelmingly won February's general election marked by the lowest turnout in the Islamic republic's history. Seven other politicians and government officials have died in the outbreak since the country reported its first cases in mid-February.