Italy says current virus cases fall for the first time

Italy on Monday reported its first figurative drop in the number of people suffering from the new coronavirus since it showed its first infection in February.

The civil protection service said 108,237 people were either being treated in a hospital or were improving at home after testing positive down 20 from the total recorded on Sunday.

Civil protection service chief Angelo Borrelli told reporters that, “for the first time, we have seen a new positive development: the number of positive cases of COVID-19 has decreased.”

The Mediterranean country’s death toll still increased by 454 to 24,114 as second only to the United States.

Although most Italian doctors consider the country’s deaths and infections are far higher than those officially recorded. People who died at home or in care facilities for the elderly are not covered, and some of the most-hit regions have only been testing those who appear the most visibly sick.

But the drop in the number of official cases indicates a critical data point in Italy’s calculation of what limitations to lift and which to extend when the current lockdown expires on May 4.