Italy has registered 37,978 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours, Reuters cited the health ministry said today, on Thursday, up from 32,961 on Wednesday. The ministry also reported 636 COVID-related deaths, up from 623 the day before and the highest figure since April 6. Infections in Italy since the disease first came to light in February total 1.066 million, while 43,589 people have now died because of the coronavirus. There were 234,672 coronavirus swabs carried out in the past day, the ministry said, against a previous 225,640. The northern region of Lombardy, centred on Italy's financial capital Milan, remained the hardest hit area on Thursday, reporting 9,291 new cases, up from Wednesday's 8,180.