The number of people dying from coronavirus in Italy has risen by475 in a day to nearly 3,000 – the biggest increase since the outbreak.
Thereare a total of 35,713 confirmed cases in the country, with more than 4,000having successfully recovered.
Lombardy,the worst-hit region, recorded 319 deaths in one day.
Italy is the world's worst-affected country after China, where the virus originated last year. At least 8,758 people have died, most in China.
Thevast majority of the more than 200,000 confirmed cases – 80% – have occurred inEurope and the Western Pacific region, which includes much of Asia, says WorldHealth Organization (WHO).
Manycountries have taken drastic measures, including social distancing andcancelling major events to help slow transmission and reduce pressure on thehealth systems.
WHOChief Tedros Ghebreyesus on Wednesday said, "But to suppress and controlepidemics, countries must isolate, test, treat and trace."
Italy hasbeen on lockdown for almost two weeks as authorities try to halt the progressof the virus.
Authorities asked people to stay indoors – but the number of deaths has continued to spiral. Reacting to Italy's death toll, WHO's emergencies director, Mike Ryan, said this was probably due to the "astonishing" number of cases within the health systems, as well as the high number of elderly people in the population at large.
