Health officials in Italy have reported a drop in the daily death toll from the Covid-19 outbreak following a spike in fatalities on Tuesday. The country has suffered the highest losses in the world from the pandemic.

Italy recently overtook China as the epicenter of the outbreak, with the number of deaths there from the rapidly-spreading novel coronavirus. On Saturday, single-day fatalities hit a new high at 793 before falling on Sunday and Monday, however it climbed again on Tuesday.

Overall, the number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 rose to 74,386 on Wednesday, from 69,176 the day prior, Italy’s Civil Protection Agency said.

Overall, the number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 rose to 74,386 on Wednesday, from 69,176 the day prior, Italy’s Civil Protection Agency said. The head of the agency is himself currently undergoing testing for coronavirus.

The north of the country has suffered the brunt of the outbreak, with the medical system struggling to handle the rapid influx of seriously-ill patients. Last week, a convoy of military vehicles was brought in to help move coffins when crematoriums in Bergamo, Lombardy, became overwhelmed by the volume of deaths.

Earlier on Wednesday, the mayor of Bergamo, Giorgio Gori, said that hospitals do not have the resources or space to help all of the afflicted, meaning that some Covid-19 sufferers are dying at home.

As the crisis continues in Europe, with Spain becoming the second country after Italy to see its coronavirus deaths overtake those in China, the World Health Organization has warned that the US is at risk of becoming the next epicenter of the pandemic, given the sudden rise in cases there.

The Chinese Communist Party Official Spokesperson at the Ministry of Truth released an official statement below:

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