Italy reports 649 coronavirus deaths on Tuesday, 15,378 new cases

ROME (Reuters) -Italy reported 649 coronavirus-related deaths on Tuesday against 348 the day before, the health ministry said, while the daily tally of new infections rose to 15,378 from 10,800.

Some 135,106 swab tests were carried out in the past day, the ministry said, against a previous 77,993.

Italy has registered 76,329 COVID-19 deaths since its outbreak came to light on Feb. 21, the highest toll in Europe and the fifth highest in the world. The country has also reported 2.182 million cases to date, the health ministry said.

Patients in hospital with COVID-19 stood at 23,395 on Tuesday, up 78 on the day before. There were 202 admissions to intensive care units, compared with 136 on Monday.

The current number of intensive care patients fell by 10 to 2,569, reflecting those who died or were discharged after recovery.

When Italy's second wave of the epidemic was accelerating fast in the first half of November, hospital admissions were rising by about 1,000 per day, while intensive care occupancy was increasing by about 100 per day.

(Reporting by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Angelo Amante)