Italy Daily Death Toll Rises, But New Cases Drop Sharply

An employee wearing protective gear, working for environmental services company AMSA, sprays disinfectant on Piazza Duomo in Milan, on March 31, 2020 during the country's lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of the COVID-19 infection, caused by the novel coronavirus. Piero Cruciatti/AFP via Getty Images

In Italy, the COVID-19 daily death toll—a closely watched indicator of how the outbreak might be receding—rose again today, but new cases fell sharply.

At 636, the death toll in Italy is still far short of the highest tally of 971 recorded a week ago, suggesting that the peak has passed. But deaths are up more than 100 from the previous daily number of 525.