Italy on Monday reported 12,916 new COVID-19 infections as over half of its 20 regions turned into red zones, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Health.
The country's death toll rose by 417 to 108,350, while the recoveries increased by 19,725 to over 2.87 million, according to the ministry.
Health Minister Roberto Speranza signed a March 26 order designating which regions fall into which color-coded zone, with the new rules going into effect on Monday and lasting through April 6.
In a bid to contain the new wave of the pandemic, the Italian government late last year divided the country into three color-coded areas -- yellow or low risk, orange or medium risk, and red or high risk -- with varying restrictions according to the level of transmission of the virus.
The new orders moved the regions of Calabria, Tuscany and Valle d'Aosta into the red zone, where they joined Campa, Emilia Romagna, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Lombardy, Marche, Piedmont, Puglia, Veneto and the Autonomous Province of Trento. (/Xinhua)
( With inputs from ANI )
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