Image copyright
AFP
A doctor and nurse embrace at the San Filippo Neri hospital in Rome
The number of people officially identified as infected with coronavirus in Italy has fallen for the first time since the country’s outbreak began, authorities have said.
As of Monday, there were 108,237 people either being treated in hospital or recovering at home after testing positive.
This was 20 fewer than the previous day, a small but symbolic drop.
On Sunday, the increase of active positive cases was 486.
Italy has the third-highest number of Covid-19 cases in the world after Spain and the US. The country continues in lockdown until 3 May although a few types of shops and businesses have been allowed to reopen.
- EU offers ‘heartfelt apology’ to Italy
- Surviving lockdown blues in an Italian village
“For the first time, we have seen a new positive development: the number of currently positive has declined,” civil protection agency chief Angelo Borrelli told reporters.
However, as people who die at home or in care facilities are not included in the country’s figures, many believe the actual death and infection rates may be higher than the official tallies.
More than 24,000 people have so far died of the coronavirus in Italy, according to US-based Johns Hopkins University, which is tracking the disease globally.
Important milestone
The Italian authorities have called the figures “extremely encouraging”. The number of people currently infected with coronavirus has fallen for the first time; it is an important milestone, despite the fact that there were fewer tests than the previous day.
Total cases, which includes those who have died and recovered, rose by just over 1.2%, the smallest proportional increase since the outbreak began. There were, however, 454 deaths – slightly up on Sunday’s figure.
While the infection numbers are cause for optimism, the daily death toll is proving stubbornly high.
Intensive care figures also show a downward trend, with occupancy now at its lowest level in a month. Italy is by no means out of the woods. But it is on the right path – and it now feels like its sacrifices are paying off.
What’s happening elsewhere?
France has become the latest country to record more than 20,000 deaths related to coronavirus, a toll its director of health has called “symbolic and painful”.
Unlike the UK, France is including nursing home deaths in its daily toll.
As of Monday, there have been 20,265 virus-related deaths in France – 12,513 of them in hospitals and 7,752 in nursing homes, Jérôme Salomon said.
“Tonight, our country is crossing a painful symbolic milestone,” he said.
Media playback is unsupported on your device