MILAN, Oct 18 — Italy registered 11,705 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours, the health ministry said today, up from the previous record of 10,925 posted today.

There were also 69 Covid-related deaths, up from 47 the day before, the ministry said - far fewer than at the height of the pandemic in Italy in March and April, when daily fatalities peaked at more than 900.

Italy was the first country in Europe to be hit hard by Covid-19 and has the second-highest death toll in the region after Britain, with 36,543 fatalities since the outbreak flared in February, according to official figures. — Reuters