Italy coronavirus cases surge to new daily record above 7,000

Italy has registered 7,332 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours, the health ministry said on Wednesday, the country's highest ever daily tally and steeply up from 5,901 on Tuesday. On that same day 793 people died.

Italy has registered 7,332 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours, the health ministry said on Wednesday, the country's highest ever daily tally and steeply up from 5,901 on Tuesday. There were also 43 COVID-related deaths on Wednesday against 41 the day before -- far fewer than at the height of the pandemic in Italy in March and April when a daily peak of more than 900 deaths was reached.

Before Wednesday, the highest daily tally of new cases had been reported on March 21, in the middle of a nationwide lockdown, with 6,557 cases. On that same day 793 people died.