by Alexandria SAGE Agence France Presse ROME, Italy (AFP) — Italy began conducting antibody tests in the northern region of Lombardy on Thursday, seeking information about coronavirus immunity to help guide authorities as they reopen the long locked-down country. Lombardy, the region hardest-hit by the coronavirus crisis in Europe’s worst-affected country, is betting that the science about “herd immunity” derived from the blood tests will help the prosperous industrial region return to work faster and […]

ROME, Italy (AFP) — Italy reported its second successive drop Tuesday in the number of current coronavirus cases as it neared a crucial decision on whether to extend its national lockdown. The civil protection service said the number of people officially being treated for COVID-19 fell by 528 to a total of 107,709. The number went down by 20 on Monday — its first decline since the Mediterranean country reported its initial cases two months […]

ROME, Italy (AFP) — Italy’s Prime Minister said on Tuesday that by the weekend he would reveal the steps the country will take to loosen restrictions, reopen the economy and emerge from the coronavirus crisis. Italy, which has reported more coronavirus deaths than any other European country, has been under national quarantine since March 9, with some regions imposing lock-downs even earlier. The quarantine period, which has been extended twice, is due to expire on […]

by Dmitry ZAKS Agence France Presse ROME, Italy (AFP) — Italy reported its first drop on Monday in the number of people currently suffering from the novel coronavirus since it recorded its first infection in February. Those receiving intensive care treatment also fell to the lowest level in a month as Europe’s hardest-hit country began to see the first direct health benefits of its economically devastating lockdown. The civil protection service said 108,237 people were […]