MILAN, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Italy reported another fresh record daily tally of COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, with new cases hitting 98,030 against 78,313 a day earlier, the health ministry said. The number of coronavirus-related deaths fell to 148 from 202 on Tuesday. Italy has registered 137,091 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 5,85 million cases to date. Patients in hospital with COVID-19 - not including those in intensive care - stood at 10,578 on Wednesday, up from 10,089 a day earlier. There were 126 new admissions to intensive care units, up from 119 on Tuesday. The total number of intensive care patients increased to 1,185 from a previous 1,145. Some 1.03 million tests for COVID-19 were carried out in the past day, in line with Tuesday"s record, the health ministry said.