ROME (Reuters) – Deaths from the COVID-19 epidemic in Italy climbed by 117 on Wednesday, against 78 the day before, the Civil Protection Agency said, while the daily tally of new cases climbed to 584 from 397 on Tuesday.

The total death toll since the outbreak came to light on Feb. 21 now stands at 33,072, the agency said, the third highest in the world after those of the United States and Britain.

The number of confirmed cases amounts to 231,139, the sixth highest global tally behind those of the United States, Brazil, Russia, Spain and Britain.

People registered as currently carrying the illness fell to 50,966 from 52,942 the day before.

There were 505 people in intensive care on Wednesday, down from 521 on Tuesday, maintaining a long-running decline. Of those originally infected, 147,101 were declared recovered against 144,658 a day earlier.

The agency said 2.291 million people have now been tested for the virus, against 2.253 million as of Tuesday, out of a population of around 60 million.

(Reporting by Gavin Jones)

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