Italy reports record number of COVID-19 cases

By Busra Nur Bilgic Cakmak

ANKARA (AA) - Italy on Friday registered 37,809 cases over the past 24 hours, the highest single-day rise since the beginning of the pandemic, according to health authorities.

The country also registered 446 COVID-19-related deaths, reaching a total of 40,638, Italian news agency ANSA reported.

The total number of infections in Italy rose to 862,681.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said Friday that the recently introduced restrictions were necessary to stem the spread of the virus.

"The virus is a moving train. Today it is necessary to slow it down, otherwise the train will knock us down,” said Conte, according to ANSA.

“We are hopeful that these measures will be limited to several weeks. If we manage to contain contagion we can face the weeks that await us with a degree of serenity,” he added.