Italy Reports Fewest Coronavirus Deaths Since March 14

(Bloomberg) --

Italy on Sunday reported its fewest virus fatalities since the early days of its nationwide lockdown as the government plans to gradually restart its economy and allow people limited movement.

Civil defense authorities reported 260 deaths linked to the virus for the 24-hour period -- the fewest since March 14 -- compared with 415 the day before. That brings the total number of fatalities to 26,644. Confirmed cases now total 197,675.

There were 2,324 new cases compared with 2,357 a day earlier. The number of recovered patients was 1,808 for the 24-hour period.

The data come weeks into a nationwide lockdown that has spurred Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte’s cabinet to request parliamentary authorization to broaden the country’s deficit by 55 billion euros ahead of new spending, officials said. That is more than an initial 25-billion euro program last month.

Italy will gradually restart its economy and allow people limited movement beginning on May 4, Conte confirmed in an interview published Sunday in daily la Repubblica.

The northern Lombardy region around Milan, the area worst-hit by the virus, on Sunday reported 920 new cases compared with 713 Saturday. Fatalities were 56 for the 24-hour period, compared with 163 the day earlier.

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.