Italy reports 344 coronavirus deaths on Saturday, 17,567 new cases

Outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Milan
·1 min read

ROME (Reuters) - Italy reported 344 coronavirus-related deaths on Saturday against 718 the day before, the health ministry said, while the daily tally of new infections fell to 17,567 from 18,938 the day before.

Italy has registered 113,923 deaths linked to COVID-19 since its outbreak emerged in February last year, the second-highest toll in Europe after Britain and the seventh-highest in the world. The country has 3.75 million cases to date.

Patients in hospital with COVID-19 - not including those in intensive care - stood at 27,654 on Saturday, down from 28,146 a day earlier.

There were 186 new admissions to intensive care units, edging down from 192 on Friday. The total number of intensive care patients decreased to 3,588 from a previous 3,603.

Some 320,892 tests for COVID-19 were carried out in the past day, compared with a previous 362,973, the health ministry said.

(Reporting by Giulia Segreti, editing by)

Recommended Stories

  • Italy's old pay high price for regional vaccine lottery

    Agostino Airaudo, 86, died of the coronavirus on March 21. Unlike many other European countries, Italy did not give automatic precedence to its army of pensioners when it launched its inoculation campaign in December, even though they were bearing the brunt of the disease. The failure to provide swifter protection has cost thousands of lives, experts say, and stoked anger about a fragmented health system under which regions take most of the decisions and the central government has struggled to impose a clear strategy.

  • U.S. Cases Hit Two-Week High; India in Crisis: Virus Update

    (Bloomberg) -- Surging cases in the Midwest helped push the number of daily U.S. infections to their highest in more than two weeks as the nation’s vaccination push regains pace. A divided U.S. Supreme Court eased California’s curbs on at-home religious services.Chancellor Angela Merkel’s governing coalition agreed on proposed nationwide rules for lockdowns and curfews in a bid to force compliance by some regional governments. European Union officials said the bloc is overcoming its vaccine supply problem.Vaccines are in shorter supply in India, as the world’s second most populous country confronts a new viral wave. Japan is imposing restrictions in Tokyo and other cities.Key Developments:Global Tracker: Cases pass 134.7 million; deaths 2.91 millionVaccine Tracker: More than 748 million shots given worldwideVaccine requirements spread in U.S., sowing concern on overreachNew York City rat complaints surge as urban life revivesU.K. races toward elusive milestone in quest to curb CovidIndia’s hospitals swamped by second virus wave as shots run lowSubscribe to a daily update on the virus from Bloomberg’s Prognosis team here. Click CVID on the terminal for global data on cases and deaths.Minneapolis Spike Leads U.S. Metro Areas (1:30 p.m. NY)Weekly Covid-19 cases in 10 U.S. metro areas increased the fastest in Minneapolis, home to companies such as 3M Co. and Target Corp., according to data through Thursday compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Cases increased 27% in the Minneapolis area, followed by rises of more than 20% in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Detroit. Adjusted for population, new cases over the seven-day period rose the most in Detroit, Grand Rapids and Buffalo, New York. Minneapolis ranked sixth by that measure.Italy Cases Slow (12:02 p.m. NY)Italy reported 17,567 new coronavirus cases Saturday, 17% less than than 7 days ago in another sign the outbreak is slowing in the original epicenter of the pandemic in Europe.Pressure on hospitals is decreasing with Covid-19 patients falling for a fourth consecutive day.Italy will ease lockdown restrictions in most regions, including the one around Milan, from April 12. All retail businesses will be allowed to open, and people will be given more freedom to move around within their municipalities.Schools will reopen with some limitations. Bars and restaurants however will remain operating only for takeout orders and travel to other regions will still be mostly banned.Merkel Presents German Lockdown Plan (10:43 a.m. NY)Chancellor Angela Merkel’s governing coalition agreed on proposed nationwide rules for lockdowns and curfews in a bid to force compliance by some regional governments. Hot-spot designations would be based on per capita infections at the county level, according to the draft law seen by Bloomberg on Saturday.Merkel’s biggest hurdle is parliament’s upper house, where her governing parties lack a majority. Germany hospitals have come under strain after Covid-19 infection rates began rising in February, though vaccinations have picked up and reached daily records this week.U.S. Top Court Eases Worship Curbs (10:24 a.m. NY)A divided U.S. Supreme Court eased California’s curbs on at-home religious services, adding to a string of orders that have freed worshipers from state and local restrictions designed to stem the Covid-19 pandemic.In an unsigned 5-4 order issued late Friday night, the court cleared two Northern Californians to resume hosting weekly Bible studies and communal worship for eight to 12 people.U.S. Cases Continue to Accelerate (8 a.m. NY)The U.S. added almost 81,000 new cases Friday as the virus spreads fast in pockets around the nation, especially in the Midwest, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University and Bloomberg. The seven-day average has risen for five consecutive weeks.Another 962 deaths were reported Friday, down for the second day, the data show, amid a general decline in fatalities. The U.S. recorded 4 million vaccine doses on Friday, as the pace picked up again after the Easter and Passover holidays, according to the Bloomberg Vaccine Tracker.Italy Companies Cut Growth Forecast (7:53 a.m. NY)Italy’s biggest industrial lobby group cut its forecast for economic growth after a surge in infections in the country earlier this year.Confindustria now sees Italy’s economic growth at 4.1% this year, 0.7 percentage points below its October forecast, after the health crisis led to a weaker than expected performance in the final quarter of 2020 and first quarter of 2021. It said the new forecast hinges on progress in vaccinations in Italy and the rest of Europe.Astra Shot Linked to Clots: Study (6:53 a.m. NY)A Norwegian study into blood clots and abnormally low levels of platelets in five people who were given the AstraZeneca vaccine for Covid-19 has found that their condition was a vaccine-induced syndrome, according to an article in the New England Journal of Medicine.“By providing a link between thrombosis and the immune system, these results strengthen the view that vaccination may have triggered the syndrome,” the article cited the study as saying.Denmark and Norway are avoiding use of the Astra vaccine even though it’s been approved for use there, saying they need more time to review the risks. Sweden and Finland are only offering it to people over the age of 65.EU Predicts Rapid Vaccine Pace (5:32 p.m. HK)Europe could have fully vaccinated 70% of adults before the U.K. reaches its own target of one dose for all over-18s by the end of July, Thierry Breton, the European commissioner leading Brussels’ vaccine task force, said in an interview with the Guardian.Europe was expecting 360 million doses from five manufacturers in the second quarter, with European factories set to produce 200 million shots a month by September for an overall capacity of 2 to 3 billion by year end. The “extremely rapid” increase in European production capacity should allow the EU’s 27 nations to compensate for first-quarter shortfalls and allow “an almost normal tourist season,” Breton said.Airlines Want Probe of U.K. Test Price (5:05 p.m. HK)Global airline body IATA called on the U.K. Competition and Markets Authority to launch an inquiry into pricing of Covid-19 tests for travel, as separate research showed travelers had to pay twice as much for the PCR tests in Britain as they do in much of Europe, the Guardian reported on Sunday.While the cheapest U.K. pre-departure PCR tests are available for 60 pounds ($82) -- the subsidized rate for passengers at Gatwick Airport -- most travelers are being charged an average of 128 pounds, more than double the price for much of Europe, according to research from the Association of British Travel Agents and the Airport Operators Association.Jet2, one of the biggest tour operators in the U.K., postponed all holidays until June 23 citing lack of clarity from the government, the Guardian reported in a separate story. The tour operator said “not knowing when we can start to fly and where we can fly to” led to suspension of flights and holidays.Russia Cases Slow, Deaths Stable (4:09 p.m. HK)Russia reported 8,704 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, down from the 9,150 reported a day earlier as the caseload continues to stabilize. Authorities reported 402 deaths yesterday from the virus, unchanged from the previous day.Pakistan Approves Sinovac Shot (3:35 p.m. HK)Pakistan’s drug regulator approved Sinovac Biotech Ltd.’s vaccine for emergency use, Xinhua News Agency reported, citing the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan. The move adds a third Chinese vaccine to Pakistan’s arsenal as the country faces a new wave on infections. Pakistan previously approved shots developed by Sinopharm and CanSino Biologics Inc.Tokyo Cases Top 500 Again (2:25 p.m. HK)Tokyo reported 570 additional infections on Saturday, topping 500 for a fourth straight day, and the daily number of virus cases in Osaka hit a record of 918, according to Kyodo News. Japan on Friday said it will reimpose restrictions in Tokyo, Kyoto and Okinawa, aiming to rein in a rapid spread of the coronavirus in those areas three weeks after ending a state of emergency in the capital.Thailand Cases Jump (12:57 p.m. HK)Thailand reported 789 new cases, the highest since Feb. 4, bringing the total to 31,658 infections, according to the Health Ministry. Most cases are linked to entertainment venue clusters in the Thai capital. One new death was reported Saturday, raising the total to 97.New Wave Swamps India’s Hospitals (12:34 p.m. HK)India is facing an escalating health crisis, with its second wave of virus infections hitting record highs, overwhelming hospitals around the country as supplies of intensive care beds and vital drugs come under pressure.Across the South Asian nation, from the wealthiest and also the worst-hit state of Maharashtra to its most populous, Uttar Pradesh, reports are emerging of hospital beds running short and immunization centers turning away people as they run out of vaccines. India reported more than 145,000 new infections Saturday, and with over 13 million virus cases lags behind only the U.S. and Brazil.U.K. Urges Mourners Not to Gather (12:29 p.m. HK)U.K. officials urged people not to gather or lay flowers following the death of Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II’s husband, a sign of how longstanding traditions will have to be put aside due to the pandemic. Well-wishers congregated outside Buckingham Palace and laid floral tributes on Friday, following the news of the Duke of Edinburgh’s passing at Windsor Castle, west of London, at the age of 99.China Approves New Sinopharm Trial (4:40 p.m. HK)China has approved the third vaccine from Sinopharm Group Co. to start clinical trials, the company said. The green light to begin testing comes after two inactivated vaccines from Sinopharm were approved and widely used both at home and in developing countries.China’s ambitious effort to vaccinate 560 million people -- 40% of its population -- by the end of June is nonetheless running into a supply shortage, forcing authorities to extend the intervals between doses and leaving some people unable to book second shots. China had administered 161.1 million doses of Covid vaccines as of Friday, the National Health Commission said in a statement.South Korea Calls Meeting on Virus (11:32 a.m. HK)South Korean President Moon Jae-in will hold an urgent meeting on Monday with the country’s top health officials to review the response to the pandemic and discuss vaccine supplies, Yonhap News reported Saturday, citing a presidential spokesman.Health authorities warned this week that the country is in the early stage of another wave of infections. They also said they may consider stricter social distancing measures and curtail some business activities if the weekly average of cases rises. South Korea confirmed 677 more infections on Saturday.CureVac May Win EU Nod in May (10:04 a.m. HK)CureVac NV could win European Union approval for its vaccine as early as May, sooner than expected, a German newspaper cited a company spokesman as saying.“We’re already very far advanced in the third phase of clinical trials and are awaiting data for the final application package,” CureVac spokesman Thorsten Schueller told Augsburger Allgemeine. “We hope the approval will come in May or June.”CureVac’s boosters include Elon Musk, who deleted a Twitter post on Friday saying that the biotech sounded to be “a few months away from regulatory approval.”For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2021 Bloomberg L.P.

  • India hits infections record amid second wave

    Vaccination centers in Maharashtra, India, were running out of doses and closing their doors, as India reported another record number of new COVID-19 infections and daily deaths at their highest for more than five months - 780 - on Friday.The country is battling a second wave and inoculating about four million people a day, but there's a shortage of vaccine in places.India's caseload is just over 13 million, the world's third-highest after the United States and Brazil. Total deaths stand at more than 167,000.The government has resisted imposing a national lockdown, but some states have expanded restrictions and police are enforcing night curfews in most cities. The curbs have prompted migrant workers to cram onto trains back to their villages from major cities, risking spreading the outbreak further.The government blames the resurgence mainly on crowding and a reluctance to wear masks.But critics say India's leaders let down their guard after quelling the first surge late last year.And have allowed and encouraged large gatherings such as festivals and religious events, as well as election rallies led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other major figures.Most attendees haven't worn masks.

  • ‘Pandemic Anxiety’ Has No Future

    How long will New Mexico’s restaurateurs put up with public-health closures and limits, while they are disappearing from Nevada? How long can Boston Red Sox fans (and owners) watch packed stadiums in Texas, and not long to open up Fenway Park? Questions like these go beyond the United States. Can London, England, really require vaccine passports for dinner reservations, if Miami, Fla., does not? For the better part of a year, those who “believed the science” tended to believe that states such as Florida and Texas were extending the national COVID nightmare. But now, as millions of vaccines are distributed in the United States every day, you can detect a whiff of anticipation in the air. Texas and Florida are largely open for business, and one can find hints of envy from places that are more closed down, even in the strangest places. Writing for New York Magazine’s Grub Street blog, Adam Platt was checking out the Miami nightlife scene. At first, he was afraid of moving through the unmasked masses in their “petri dish” of a state. But, as the night went on, he reports: “I felt my carefully nurtured pandemic anxiety slowly melting away into something more relaxed, and possibly even hopeful.” The post-COVID future is here. It’s just unevenly distributed. In a recent article, I mentioned that Ireland, which has had a punishingly long lockdown, has unusually high exposure to what conditions obtain in other nations, through its diaspora on social media . This includes the United States and the United Kingdom where vaccine distribution is far ahead, and to Australia and New Zealand, which just recently opened up quarantine-free travel with each another. Ireland’s position is unique, but it’s also true that in a globalized world, we all have a look-in on each other. The inability or simple unwillingness of most Western countries to completely shut down international travel, even from COVID hot spots, testifies to our attachment to a normality that includes plane flights for business and pleasure. And as vaccine take-up reaches critical levels in countries such as Israel, the United Kingdom, and the United States, everyone will begin comparing whether certain post-COVID infrastructure and mitigation efforts are truly worth the cost and hassle they impose. Israel has instituted its version of a vaccine passport — a green pass. Even there this measure is surrounded by controversy and concern about violations of privacy, or emerging medical apartheid. The United Kingdom is deliberating about a vaccine passport program, though resistance to it in the Labour Party and among Tory backbenchers could sink it. In Florida and Texas, Republican governors have largely reopened their states for business, rejected vaccine passports out of hand, and are –for now — still seeing case rates and hospitalizations fall. So you see European nations still canceling major sporting events because crowds aren’t allowed to gather for them. You see states in the American Northeast allowing only a fraction of capacity, and only with proof of vaccination or a negative test. And states in the South where baseball looks like it did before COVID, save for a few people wearing masks of their own volition. If the least restrictive and least intrusive localities find success in the vaccine era, it may become rapidly untenable for other jurisdictions or nations to continue wrapping themselves in Plexiglas and other vax-passport technology. Quarantining foreign travelers in COVID hotels is a massive government burden and an even larger impediment to the recovery of business and leisure travel. Will London really tell people flying in from Miami not to eat out because they lack a U.K. vaxpass? Will London tell Londoners who have just flown back from Miami to not spend their money? Not if vaccination take-up remains high, and cases continue to plummet. Much of the pandemic’s restrictive measures were sustained by real fear, and a huge dose of moral fury at those places deemed “petri dishes.” But now, the turn of the mood is coming. And now our hope is in the petri dishes, the experiments in freedom from fear.

  • Rat Poison Found in Over 80 Percent of Bald Eagles in the U.S., New Study Shows

    Rat poison was found in 80 percent of the 133 eagles tested by researchers in the U.S. between 2014 and 2018

  • Viola Davis Tells Oprah Winfrey That Chadwick Boseman Was 'Not Interested in Being a Movie Star'

    The Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom actor calls her late co-star ‘transcendent’ and talks about how she'll remember his legacy

  • 6 Changes That Will Help You Stay Healthy As You Age—According to a Dietitian

    These diet changes can help you live a longer and healthier life.

  • Danny Rolling confesses to killing 5 students in Gainesville: Part 8

    Rolling was charged with five counts of first-degree murder in connection to the students’ deaths. He confessed through an intermediary while in prison for bank robbery, prosecutor Rod Smith said.

  • Friday Ratings: No Surprise, As ‘Shark Tank’ Again The Victor, But ‘MacGyver’ Draws A Crowd

    There was little mystery at the top of Friday’s ratings demos. As per usual, ABC’s Shark Tank topped the night, bringing in an 0.7. It was also a strong night for perennial Friday favorite WWE Friday Night SmackDown on Fox, which had an 0.6 in demos. But the real intrigue concerned the reaction to the […]

  • ‘My children were priceless jewels’: three families reflect on the health workers they lost

    The parents and children of doctors and nurses who died from Covid tell of how grief has affected them3,607 healthcare workers have died in the first year of the pandemic. Explore our interactive database Nikita Rahman, wearing her late father’s shirt and a custom-made necklace in his honor. Photograph: Danielle Amy/The Guardian Dr Reza Chowdhury was a beloved internist with a private practice in the Bronx and a trusted voice in New York’s Bengali community. His daughter, Nikita Rahman, said despite underlying health issues that put him at higher risk of developing Covid complications, he saw patients through mid-March when he developed symptoms. He died on 9 April. Nikita Rahman My therapist says grief is the final act of love. Every time I miss him, I think about how that is my love for him, showing up again. I like that framing of it. I think I only recently realized just how much I loved him. He was so beloved by the community for just being a general practitioner who did his job really well and cared and was honest. He was so present and could find life and enjoyment in the little things, like taking a walk. He loved his breakfast, even if it was the same breakfast every day. In March, I flew home from California to be with my family. I was reading about Covid cases spiking in Italy and was freaking out. My mom and I tried to convince my dad, who was immunocompromised, to stay home from work. He said: “No, it’s not a big deal.” Then in mid- to late March he started to feel sick. At that time, everyone was so worried about hospitals being over capacity that the [guidance] was not to come in unless you’re insanely sick. We eventually took him to the hospital. He was there for about 10 days and then he had a heart attack. I’ll sometimes visit my dad’s grave by myself and bring tea, because my dad always drank tea, and read letters my friends have written over the past year. He was into growing nice grass, so whenever [my mother, brother and I] go, we bring nice grass to make sure his plot is nicely manicured. He told really good stories. I would do anything for audio recordings of him telling stories. Now I’ve started recording conversations with family members. The Chowdhury family: from left, Nikita, Annie and Nabil. Photograph: Danielle Amy/The Guardian When someone dies, the world carries on. You’ll take a walk and you’re so upset, but people around you may be laughing or carrying on with their lives. You want the world to reflect how you feel inside. You want it to rain. Because of the pandemic, everyone’s kind of miserable. Everyone’s at home, having to process a lot. It has been nice, in a way, to be forced to sit down and process it. There’s no running away from confronting your feelings. Nueva Parazo was a nurse practitioner in southern California and one of scores of healthcare workers from the Philippines who died from Covid-19. Her father, Chito Parazo, described her as a skilled and compassionate nurse and doting daughter. She died on 5 September. Chito Parazo It’s true, life has to go on, but it will never be the same. I’m 70 years old. I have maybe 10, 15 years left. Maybe less. Of course, I’m happy I’m still alive, but for me, we’re just going through the motions of living. We lost our nine-year-old son, Xerxes, years ago in an accident and I still cannot accept the fact that he died. My children were the priceless jewels in my life and I lost both of them. During the early days of the pandemic, I asked [Nueva] to file a leave of absence. She said, “I cannot just turn my back on these helpless people. This is the job that I chose.” Her youngest son brought her to the hospital on 3 August because she was complaining about difficulty breathing. She probably suspected that she had contracted the virus. When my wife was admitted to the same hospital in December with Covid, the staff remembered Nueva. They said: “We tried to save her, Mr Parazo but we couldn’t. Her lungs were so badly damaged.” My children were the priceless jewels in my life and I lost both of them I’m so proud of her. She did her best to save people despite all the dangers she faced. I shaved my head after Nueva died and made a vow to let it grow after the first anniversary of her death. I’ve been taking medication to combat my depression. Despite the fact that I have psoriatic arthritis in both of my knees, a bone spur in my left foot and spinal stenosis, I still go bowling to forget what happened. It’s hard, but I have to be strong for the sake of my three grandkids and my wife. Jessica Cavazos was a nurse in McAllen, Texas, and the family member everyone turned to for sage advice and a dose of optimism. Cavazos had not seen her son, Jayden Arrington, since 2013. After she died on 12 July, Arrington, 19, reunited with her family. Jayden Arrington I called her Mamo. There were some family issues that kept me from having more time with her, and that is hard for me to live with. I hadn’t seen her since I was 10. When I was 17, I called her and we spoke for two or three hours, and I assumed after I turned 18 I’d start seeing her again. She passed without having her own son with her. Some days I can’t function or accept that some people’s expiration dates are not what you want them to be. I’ve learned that God’s not going to give it to you how you want it. He’s going to give it to you in a way to see how you’re going to bounce back. I’ve grown over the last several months. I’ve learned how to control my feelings, and be more open to what’s given to me in life. And also be more thankful for what I have. I’ve learned that God’s not going to give it to you how you want it I see things a little differently since [my mom died]. I try to find ways where every day is a good day, where I don’t regret anything or have a negative effect on anyone. I try to keep people around me who I know can help me get through my days. Sometime this month, I’m hoping to receive an acceptance letter [to a nursing program]. I want to become a registered nurse, just like Mamo.

  • 9 of the 10 US metro areas with a surge in COVID-19 cases are in Michigan

    Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is asking people to avoid indoor dining, youth sports, and in-person high school for two weeks. But she's not shutting them down.

  • Princess Diana’s hairstylist reveals the reason he cut her hair short

    ‘We were moving from the big frou-frou ‘80s into the sharp, more androgynous, business chic of the ‘90s,’ says Sam McKnight

  • Many Drilled U.S. Wells Will Never Be Completed

    Fracking crews are increasing their activity in U.S. shale basins, finishing off a slew of DUC wells, but despite the increase, many of these already drilled wells may never be completed

  • Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings CEO: Will operate elsewhere if CDC holds ban

    Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings CEO Frank Del Rio tells ‘CAVUTO Live’ the company requested the CDC allow sailing from U.S. ports on July 4th.

  • ‘Clear the Capitol,’ Pence pleaded, timeline of riot shows

    From a secure room in the Capitol on Jan. 6, as rioters pummeled police and vandalized the building, Vice President Mike Pence tried to assert control. In an urgent phone call to the acting defense secretary, he issued a startling demand. “Clear the Capitol,” Pence said.

  • MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell says he hired private investigators to find out why Fox News isn't letting him speak on air

    Mike Lindell said Friday he "spent a lot of money" investigating Fox News for its failure to invite him on air to peddle false election claims.

  • Prince Harry will attend Prince Philip's funeral without Meghan Markle, who didn't get permission to fly

    Prince Harry will attend Prince Philip's funeral, which is set to be held April 17. Markle, who's pregnant, didn't get medical clearance to fly.

  • Jessica Alba's Honest Company is filing for an IPO after selling $189 million worth of diapers and wipes in 2020

    Jessica Alba's consumer goods business Honest Company filed for an IPO on Friday with plans to sell shares on the Nasdaq under the symbol "HNST."

  • Jail time for Florida woman who coughed on cancer patient in viral video

    Debra Jo Hunter of Fernandina Beach is sentenced to 29 days in jail for coughing in a woman's face at a Pier 1 Import that went viral on YouTube.

  • Trump administration helped to block virus CDC reports, documents show

    Emails reveal appointees in the Department of Health and Human Services bragged about their efforts to downplay the coronavirus pandemic. A new report reveals emails highlighting efforts made by President Donald Trump’s administration to alter information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to present favorable information about the coronavirus pandemic. According to The Hill, the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis issued letters to former advisors Scott Atlas, Paul Alexander, and Steven Hatfill.