Italy reports 43 COVID-19 deaths on Sunday, 15,021 new cases

People wearing protective face masks walk past a statue at Capitoline Square (Piazza del Campidoglio) on Capitoline Hill, on the day before coronavirus disease (COVID-19) health passes, known as Green Passes, become mandatory on public transport, in Rome, Italy December 5, 2021. REUTERS/Remo Casilli

Italy reported 43 coronavirus-related deaths on Sunday compared to 75 the day before, the health ministry said, while the daily tally of new reported infections fell to 15,021 from 16,632.

Italy has registered 134,195 deaths linked to COVID-19 since its outbreak began in February last year, the second-highest toll in Europe after Britain and the ninth-highest in the world.

Patients in hospital with COVID-19 - not including those in intensive care - stood at 5,597 on Sunday, up from 5,428 a day earlier.

There were 45 new admissions to intensive care units, down from 59 on Saturday. The total number of intensive care patients increased to 736 from a previous 732.

Some 525,108 tests for COVID-19 were carried out in the past day, compared with a previous 636,592, the health ministry said.

(Reporting by Francesca Landini; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Jan Harvey)