Italy posts daily record of 34,505 new coronavirus cases as deaths surge

A man wearing a face mask looks at his cellphone, after the government announced tougher measures to battle the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Rome, Italy, November 5, 2020. REUTERS/Remo Casilli

Italy has registered 34,505 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours, the health ministry said on Thursday, its highest ever daily tally and up from 30,550 on Wednesday.

The ministry also reported 445 COVID-related deaths, up from 352 the day before and the first toll above 400 since May 2.

A total of 40,192 people have now died because of COVID-19 in Italy, which becomes the sixth country in the world to report more than 40,000 deaths.

A man wearing a protective face mask walks down Piazza Navona square, after the government announced tougher measures to battle the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Rome, Italy, November 5, 2020. REUTERS/Remo Casilli

It has registered some 824,879 coronavirus infections since the start of its outbreak.

The northern region of Lombardy, centred on Italy's financial capital Milan, remained the hardest hit area, reporting 8,822 new cases on Thursday against 7,758 on Wednesday.

The southern Campania region was the second-worst affected, chalking up 3,888 cases.

A man wearing a face mask walks past the Spanish Steps, after the government announced tougher measures to battle the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Rome, Italy, November 5, 2020. REUTERS/Remo Casilli

(Reporting by Angelo Amante, editing by Gavin Jones)

A woman wearing a mask walks past a shop where protective face masks are displayed, after the government announced tougher measures to battle the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Rome, Italy, November 5, 2020. REUTERS/Remo Casilli