Italy registers 168,941 coronavirus cases, death toll at 22,170
A man walks in Piazza Navona in Rome on April 16, 2020, during the lockdown of the country to curb the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic caused by the new coronavirus.
The coronavirus pandemic has claimed 22,170 lives in locked-down Italy, bringing the total number of cases, including fatalities and recoveries, so far to 168,941, according to the latest data released by the country's Civil Protection Department on Thursday.
Speaking during a televised press conference, Civil Protection Department Chief Angelo Borrelli confirmed that there were 1,189 new active coronavirus infections compared to Wednesday, bringing the nationwide total to 106,607 cases.
The number of patients hospitalized and in intensive care units continued to drop: some 2,936 are in intensive care, down by 143 compared to the previous day, and 26,893 are hospitalized, down by 750. Over 76,770 are isolated at home because of asymptomatic or with light symptoms, Borrelli said.
The death toll on Thursday was 525, bringing the total to 22,170 since the pandemic first broke out in northern Italy on February 21.
He added that there were 2,072 additional recoveries compared to Wednesday, taking the total to 40,164.
