A man waits to enter a supermarket in Bologna, Italy, March 20, 2020. (Photo by Gianni Schicchi/Xinhua)
Further 793 people died of coronavirus in Italy in the past 24 hours, taking the country's death toll to 4,825.
ROME, March 21 (Xinhua) -- Italy reported 6,557 new cases of coronavirus on Saturday, raising the total to 53,578 since the pandemic first broke out in its north on Feb. 21, according to the latest data provided by the Civil Protection Department managing the COVID-19 emergency.
Further 793 people died of coronavirus in Italy in the past 24 hours, taking the country's death toll to 4,825. The number of active coronavirus infections increased to 42,681, not counting recoveries and fatalities.
Recoveries were steadily growing as well, with 943 new recoveries declared on the day, and total at 6,072, Civil Protection Chief Angelo Borrelli told a press conference in late afternoon.
People wait outside a supermarket in Bologna, Italy, March 20, 2020. (Photo by Gianni Schicchi/Xinhua)
As for the 42,681 people currently positive, some 22,116 of them were under home confinement, another 17,708 were hospitalized, and 2,857 in intensive care.
"The spread of the coronavirus remains high, and in particular across those areas already under pressure," National Health Institute (ISS) President Silvio Brusaferro told the press conference.
Brusaferro added the spread of the COVID-19 was being detected across other areas as well, yet "still in limited numbers."
"The main reason behind the tough restrictions so far imposed (by the government) on people's movement is exactly to avoid the virus from spreading across the whole country as it is doing in the most affected areas," Brusaferro stressed.
In the latest effort to further reduce the movement of people -- with the double aim of limiting the spread and avoiding the public health system from being overwhelmed -- all public parks and gardens across the country were closed starting from Saturday morning, following a specific order from the Health Ministry.
People wait outside a supermarket in Bologna, Italy, March 20, 2020. (Photo by Gianni Schicchi/Xinhua)
People wait outside a supermarket in Bologna, Italy, March 20, 2020. (Photo by Gianni Schicchi/Xinhua)
A park is seen in Rome, Italy, March 20, 2020. (Photo by Alberto Lingria/Xinhua)
People wait outside a supermarket in Bologna, Italy, March 20, 2020. (Photo by Gianni Schicchi/Xinhua)
A canoe camp is closed in Rome, Italy, March 20, 2020. (Photo by Alberto Lingria/Xinhua)
One of the entrances of Villa Phamphili is closed in Rome, Italy, March 20, 2020. (Photo by Alberto Lingria/Xinhua)
People wearing face masks walk by the street in Rome, Italy, March 20, 2020. (Photo by Alberto Lingria/Xinhua)
Fitness exercise equipments are sealed by local police in Rome, Italy, March 20, 2020. (Photo by Alberto Lingria/Xinhua)
A man walks past closed shops in Rome, Italy, March 20, 2020. (Xinhua/Cheng Tingting)
An ambulance is seen outside a building waiting for patients in Rome, Italy, on March 20, 2020. (Xinhua/Cheng Tingting)
People wait outside a supermarket in Bologna, Italy, March 20, 2020. (Photo by Gianni Schicchi/Xinhua)
A man walks near the Fontana del Nettuno in Bologna, Italy, March 20, 2020. (Photo by Gianni Schicchi/Xinhua)
Fitness exercise equipments are sealed by local police in Rome, Italy, March 20, 2020. (Photo by Alberto Lingria/Xinhua)
A medical worker with protective devices against coronavirus waits for patients in Rome, Italy, on March 20, 2020. (Xinhua/Cheng Tingting)
A woman walks her dog in Rome, Italy, March 20, 2020. (Xinhua/Cheng Tingting)
A pigeon walks on a street in Rome, Italy, March 20, 2020. (Xinhua/Cheng Tingting)
One of the entrances of Villa Phamphili is closed in Rome, Italy, March 20, 2020. (Photo by Alberto Lingria/Xinhua)■
