Italy reports 603 coronavirus deaths on Tuesday, 10,497 new cases

People are silhouetted at the seafront, as the region of Sicily becomes a 'red zone' closing bars, restaurants and most shops as part of tougher measures to tackle the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Catania, Italy, January 17, 2021. REUTERS/Antonio Parrinello

Italy reported 603 coronavirus-related deaths on Tuesday, against 377 the day before, the health ministry said, while the daily tally of new infections rose to 10,497 from 8,824.

Some 254,070 tests were carried out in the past day, against a previous 158,674.

Italy has registered 83,157 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 2.4 million cases to date.

Patients in hospital with COVID-19 - not including those in intensive care - stood at 22,699 on Tuesday, down 185 from a day earlier.

There were 176 new admissions to intensive care units, against 142 the day before. The total number of intensive care patients fell by 57 to 2,487.

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.

(Reporting by Crispian Balmer; editing by Gavin Jones)