Italy sees fewer ICU patients as COVID-19 death toll climbs to 24,648

Medical staff work at Intensive Care Unit in Sant'Orsola-Malpighi hospital in Bologna, Italy, on April 15, 2020. (Photo by Gianni Schicchi/Xinhua)

The active infections stood at 107,709, which is 528 lower than Monday.

The total number of active infections, fatalities and recoveries has risen to 183,957.

ROME, April 21 (Xinhua) -- The COVID-19 pandemic continued to claim lives in locked-down Italy on Tuesday, though the numbers of hospitalized and ICU patients dropped, according to the latest tally released by the country's Civil Protection Department.

The total number of active infections, fatalities and recoveries has risen to 183,957, the official tally showed.

The active infections stood at 107,709, which is 528 lower than Monday. Of those infected, 2,471 are in intensive care, down by 102 compared to Monday, while 24,134 are hospitalized in normal wards, down by 772. The rest are in isolation at home.

People wearing face masks are seen on a street in Milan, Italy, on April 18, 2020. (Xinhua)

Tuesday saw 534 new deaths, bringing the total to 24,648 fatalities since the pandemic first broke out in the northern Lombardy region on Feb. 21.

Up to 2,723 additional recoveries were registered on Tuesday compared to Monday, bringing the total to 51,600.

Tuesday's numbers are up from a total of 181,228 cases on Monday: 108,237 infections, 48,877 recoveries and 24,114 fatalities.

Italy entered into a national lockdown on March 10 to contain the pandemic.

The lockdown, which is expected to last until May 3, will be followed by a so-called "Phase Two," involving "the gradual resumption of social, economic and productive activities," the Italian government has explained.  ■