OFFICIALS REPORT 15K NEW COVID CASES ON FRIDAY

Italy reported 348 coronavirus-related deaths on Friday against 347 the day before, the health ministry said, while the daily tally of new infections rose to 15,479 from 13,762. Some 297,128 tests for COVID-19 were carried out, compared with a previous 288,458.

Italy has registered 95,235 deaths since COVID emerged in February last year, the second-highest in Europe after Britain. The country has reported 2.78 million cases to date.

Patients in hospital with COVID-19 — not including those in intensive care — stood at 17,831 on Friday, down from 17,963 Thursday.

There were 151 new admissions to ICU, down from 177 on Thursday, bringing the total to 2,059 from 2,045.

When Italy's second wave was accelerating quickly in the first half of November, hospital admissions were rising by about 1,000 per day, while ICU occupancy was increasing by about 100 per day.