Italy has reported 22 coronavirus-related deaths, compared with 24 the day before, while the daily tally of new infections rose to 6,902 from 6,599.

Italy has registered a total of 128,209 deaths linked to Covid-19 since its outbreak emerged in February last year, the second highest toll in Europe after Britain and the eighth highest in the world.

The country has reported 4.39 million cases to date, according to Reuters.

Patients in hospital with Covid-19 — not including those in intensive care — stood at 2,533, up from 2,449 a day earlier, the health ministry said.