There have been 276 new coronavirus infections in Italy in the last 24 hours, the health ministry said Friday, compared to 229 new cases on Thursday.
Almost half of Friday's new cases, 135 (48.9%), came in Lombardy, the hardest-hit region, while there were 53 in Emilia-Romagna and 23 in Lazio.
Four regions had no new cases: Sicily, Valle d'Aosta, Molise and Basilicata.
The ministry said 12 COVID-19 sufferers have died in the last 24 hours, the same as Thursday, bringing the overall death toll to 34,938.
The infection rate across Italy had been slowing. as well as the death rate, in recent weeks.
The infection rate went back up to moderate in Lazio Friday after a spate of cases among the Rome Bangladeshi community.
The total number of cases in Italy, including the deceased, the recovered and the currently positive, is now 242,639.
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