(Bloomberg) --
Italy saw the number of new deaths from coronavirus falling to the lowest in almost two months as the country prepares to gradually ease its two-month lockdown as of Monday.
Figures from civil protection authorities released Sunday showed there were 1,389 new cases, down from 1,900 a day earlier. There were 174 deaths from the virus, bringing total fatalities to 28,884. Both new cases and fatalities were at their lowest levels since March 10, the day when Primer Minister Giuseppe Conte implemented a nationwide lockdown.
Total cases rose to 210,717 with 81,654 recoveries. The number of hospitalized patients, including ones in intensive care declined.
Conte, who has come under pressure from some in his coalition as well as the opposition over his management of the crisis, has apologized to Italians for delays to financial aid and plans cautious moves to ease the lockdown this month. The government anticipates reopening some businesses earlier than expected if the next few days show the virus subsiding, he said in an interview with La Stampa published Sunday.
The government is trying to limit the economic impact of the pandemic by restarting some activities and approved an initial 25 billion-euro ($27.5 billion) package of support measures in March and plans to fund another stimulus package for the economy worth 55 billion euros.
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