![A man takes a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) test at a pharmacy as COVID-19 infections rise, in Rome, Italy, December 29, 2021. [File image]](https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/SABC-News-Italy-Covid-Reuters-1.jpg)
Italy reported 77 696 COVID-19 related cases on Monday, against 138 860 the day before, the health ministry said, while the number of deaths rose to 352 from 227.
Italy has registered 143 875 deaths linked to COVID-19 since its outbreak emerged in February 2020, the second-highest toll in Europe after Britain and the ninth highest in the world. The country has reported 10 million cases to date.
Patients in hospital with COVID-19 – not including those in intensive care – stood at 19 862 on Monday, increasing from 19 627 a day earlier.
There were 101 new admissions to intensive care units, down from 132 on Sunday. The total number of intensive care patients increased to 1 685, unchanged from the day before.
Some 519 293 tests for COVID-19 were carried out in the past day, compared with a previous 933 384, the health ministry said.
![ANC MP Mervyn Dirks {file image]](https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/SABCNews-Mervyn-Dirks_Parliament.png){kind=small}
