Deaths from the COVID-19 epidemic in Italy climbed by 70 on Thursday, against 117 the day before, the Civil Protection Agency said, while the daily tally of new cases edged up to 593 from 584 on Wednesday.

The total death toll since the outbreak came to light on Feb. 21 now stands at 33,142, the agency said, the third-highest in the world after those of the United States and Britain.

The number of confirmed cases amounts to 231,732, the sixth-highest global tally behind those of the United States, Russia, Spain, Britain and Brazil.

People registered as currently carrying the illness fell to 47,986 from 50,966 the day before.

There were 489 people in intensive care on Thursday, down from 505 on Wednesday, maintaining a long-running decline. Of those originally infected, 150,604 were declared recovered against 147,101 a day earlier.

The agency said 2.33 million people have so far been tested for the virus against 2.29 million as of Wednesday, out of a population of around 60 million.