Italy Reports Nearly 500 Deaths in 24 Hours From CCP Virus

Medical workers in overalls stretch a patient under intensive care into the newly built Columbus Covid 2 temporary hospital to fight the new coronavirus infection, at the Gemelli hospital in Rome on March 16, 2020. Andreas Solaro/AFP via Getty Images

Italian health authorities said that nearly 500 people have died from the new coronavirus in 24 hours as the country struggles to contain the outbreak.

The country’s Civil Protection chief, Angelo Borrelli, said that 475 people died from the CCP virus in a single day, raising the death toll to 2,978 as of Thursday. The 24-hour death toll a day before was 345, according to ANSA.