Italy has reported a record 627 new deaths from the coronavirus, bringing its overall toll past 4,000.
The total number of deaths now sits at 4,032 while the number of infections has reached a staggering 47,021.
Earlier it was announced that the army will be used to impose the lockdown in Lombardy - the region of Italy worst hit by the coronavirus outbreak.
Italy's previous one-day record death toll was 475 which was published on Wednesday.
The Mediterranean country has now seen more than 1,500 deaths from Covid-19 in the past three days alone.
Italy which is home to 60 million people now accounts for 36.6% of the world’s coronavirus deaths.
The chronic pneumonia-like virus is killing hundreds each day in the European country with doctors warning they have seen nothing like this before.
Hospitals across northern Italy are overwhelmed as the virus spreads out of control.
Meanwhile in Spain, the death toll rose to 1,002, a highest-ever increase of 235 in 24 hours.
More than 255,000 people have contracted the virus worldwide while the deathtoll has risen to more than 10,400.
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