Italy sees slowdown in rate of new virus cases; shoots past 100,000

Italy is seeing a continued slowdown in the rate of its new confirmed coronavirus cases while registering a record number of people cured as it enters its third week into a nationwide lockdown.

Another 812 people died in the last day, bringing Italy's toll to 11,591 and maintaining its position as the country with the most dead.

Overall, Italy added 4,050 new infections Monday, bringing its official total to 101,739 and keeping its place as the European epicenter of the pandemic and second only to the US Epidemiologists say the real number of Italy's caseload, however, is as much as five to 10 times more than the official number, but that those cases aren't being counted because Italy is only testing people with severe symptoms.

Of those infected, 14,620 have been declared cured, including a record 1,590 in the past day.

Worldwide, more than 35,000 people have died from the coronavirus pandemic since it emerged late last year in China, most of them in Europe, according to an AFP tally at 1615 GMT Monday using official figures. In total, 35,905 people have died, including 26,076 in Europe. Italy has the most deaths with 11,591, following by Spain with 7,340 and China with 3,304.

More than 740,00 cases have been officially detected in 183 countries and territories, including at least 408,203 in Europe, almost 150,000 in the United States and Canada with 2,635 deaths and 106,609 cases in Asia with 3,827 deaths.

Detected cases likely reflect only a fraction of the real number of infections as many countries are only testing the most serious cases.