Italy's daily COVID deaths at seven-month low

Italy on Sunday recorded 44 deaths from COVID-19, the lowest daily tally in more than seven months as the country continues to make progress with its coronavirus vaccinations.

The last time Italy so few deaths was on October 14, with 43 fatalities.

Italy's total death toll from the pandemic now stands at 126,046, according to Civil Protection Agency and Health Ministry data.

The number of people with an active coronavirus infection fell by 3,670 to 236,296, another seven-month low.

Meanwhile, Italy has now administered 34.2 million vaccine doses and 11.8 million people—nearly 20 percent of the population—have been fully vaccinated, the government said.

The encouraging data came after Health Minister Roberto Speranza extended an entry ban Sunday for travellers coming from India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

The ban, a continued precaution against the more transmissible variant of the coronavirus first detected in India, will be prolonged until June 21, Speranza's spokesman said.

The measure, first introduced in late April, would have otherwise expired on Sunday. It does not apply to Italian citizens.

© 2021 AFP