Italy reports 472 coronavirus deaths on Friday, 13,633 new cases

A woman checks her phone in front of a closed shop as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in Rome, Italy January 22, 2021. REUTERS/Yara Nardi

Italy reported 472 coronavirus-related deaths on Friday, against 521 the day before, the health ministry said, while the daily tally of new infections fell to 13,633 from 14,078.

Some 264,728 tests were carried out in the past day, against a previous 267,567.

Italy has now registered 84,674 COVID-19 deaths since its outbreak came to light last February, the second-highest toll in Europe and the sixth-highest in the world. The country has also reported 2.44 million cases to date.

A woman walks with her dog past a closed theater as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in Rome, Italy January 22, 2021. REUTERS/Yara Nardi

Patients in hospital with COVID-19 - not including those in intensive care - stood at 21,691 on Friday, down by 354 from a day earlier.

There were 144 new admissions to intensive care units, against 155 the day before. The total number of intensive care patients fell by 28 to 2,390.

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

People wait at a bus stop as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in Rome, Italy January 22, 2021. REUTERS/Yara Nardi

(Reporting by Crispian Balmer; editing by Gavin Jones)