Italy reported 528 coronavirus-related deaths on Monday against 564 on Sunday, the health ministry said, and 13,720 new infections, down from 18,887 the day before with the fall in cases reflecting the usual drop in the number of swabs conducted on Sundays.
The first Western country hit by the virus, Italy has seen 60,606 COVID-19 fatalities since its outbreak emerged in February, the second highest toll in Europe after Britain. It has also registered 1.74 million cases to date.
There were 111,217 swabs carried out in the past day, down from a previous 163,550, the ministry said.
Patients in hospital with COVID-19 stood at 30,524 on Monday, up 133 from the day before.
There were 144 new admissions to intensive care units, while the number of intensive care patients decreased by 72 to 3,382, reflecting those who died or were discharged after recovery.
When Italy's second wave of the epidemic was accelerating fast in the first half of November, hospital admissions were rising by around 1,000 per day, while intensive care occupancy was increasing by about 100 per day.
(Reporting by Angelo Amante, Editing by Crispian Balmer)
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