Italy reported less than 100 new deaths from the novel coronavirus on Monday for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
The country’s Civil Protection Department registered 99 fatalities over a 24-hour period, bringing the nationwide death toll to 32,007. Monday’s daily rise was down from 145 the previous day.
The number of active cases also fell Monday to 66,553, down from 68,351 the previous day. Meanwhile, four regions — Basilicata, Calabria, Sardinia and Umbria — reported having zero infections.
Overall, more than 225,000 people in Italy have been diagnosed with COVID-19.
Once the worst-hit country in Europe, Italy was the first nation in the world to put a nationwide lockdown in place due to the pandemic. The country began to slowly lift the strict lockdown earlier this month. Most businesses have since resumed activities but under social distancing rules, with shops, restaurants, hair salons and churches reopening Monday.
