The spread of coronavirus in Italy has slowed down, recording an increase of 602 cases of deaths on Monday. Reuters noted this as the smallest increase in four days.
Italy remains to have the biggest number of deaths from the COVID-19 worldwide.
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte pointed out that Italy had not yet reached the “most acute phase” of the infection.
“It is early to say” when this crisis will be over, Conte told the newspaper La Stampa.
Italy continues to be in a national lockdown since early March. The lockdown is effective until April 3.
Numbers show that Italy has 63,927 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 6,077 deaths so far. Meanwhile, 7,432 people have recovered from the illness.
Conte expanded the lockdown measures over the weekend. All industrial production and private and public offices have been shut down.
Meanwhile, metalworkers and bank unions plan to strike on Wednesday as they call for stricter measures for factories that are still open and for bank employees, who reportedly have no enough masks, gloves or disinfectant.
“As a result of the amateurish management of the recent decision to impose a shutdown of all non-essential economic activities, the government has managed to alienate both trade unions and business groups,” Wolfgango Piccoli, co-president of the research firm Teneo, said in an email.
He furthered that the pandemic was making the political atmosphere “increasingly toxic.”
Spain death toll
Government data revealed that Spain has 462 deaths in just 24 hours on Monday. This rise in the death toll is the sharpest ever recorded during the outbreak in the country.
Fernando Simon of the Spanish health ministry explained that when reaching the peak of infections, the authorities will increase their efforts twice to ensure they do not take any steps backwards.
Spain recorded 35,136 confirmed cases of coronavirus as of Tuesday morning.
France lockdown
Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Tuesday that he came up with a list of companies that need finances from the government of France.
Also in national lockdown, France reported 20,128 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 862 deaths.
Le Maire pointed out during an interview with a French radio station that nationalization is an option of “last resort.” Moreover, France plans to extend the current state of lockdown, which would take effect until March 31.
