Italy records 427 new deaths, crosses china’s toll, India cases rise to 173

Italy overtook China’s coronavirus death total and braced for an extended lockdown that could see the economy suffer its biggest shock since World War II.

The Mediterranean country’s toll reached 3,405 after it recorded 427 new deaths on Wednesday.

China has officially reported 3,245 deaths since registering the first case at the end of last year.

In the US, the number of cases of COVID-19 has reached 13,680 and 200 people have died so far, the John Hopkins university said.

India, on other hand, reported the death of a COVID-19 patient from Punjab, taking the toll in the country to four, the Union health ministry said.

According to the ministry, the number of novel coronavirus cases in the country has risen to 173.

The cases include 25 foreign nationals, 17 from Italy, three from the Philippines, two from the UK, one each from Canada, Indonesia and Singapore. The figure also includes four deaths reported from Punjab, Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra.