MILAN: Italy reported 96 coronavirus-related deaths on Saturday, down from 118 the day before, the health ministry said, while the daily tally of new infections rose to 21,042.

New cases had jumped by nearly two thirds on Friday to 20,497.

With 96 victims in the past 24 hours, Italy has registered 134,765 deaths linked to COVID-19 since its outbreak emerged in February last year, the second-highest toll in Europe after Britain and the ninth highest in the world.

The country has reported 5.2 million cases to date.

Italy reports 118 coronavirus deaths on Friday, 20,497 new cases

Patients in hospital with COVID-19 - not including those in intensive care - stood at 6,539 on Saturday, up from 6,483 a day earlier.

There were 76 new admissions to intensive care units, the same as the previous day. The total number of intensive care patients edged up to 818 from 816 on Friday, which compares with 708 a week earlier.

Some 565,077 tests for COVID-19 were carried out in the past day, compared with a previous 716,287, the health ministry said.