Rome, Dec 10, 2020, SPA -- Italy reported 887 coronavirus-related deaths today, on Thursday, a steep rise from 499 the day before, Reuters cited the Italian health ministry as saying. The daily tally of new infections increased to 16,999 from 12,756. There were 171,586 swabs carried out in the past day, up from a previous 118,475, the ministry said. The first Western country hit by the virus, Italy has seen 62,626 COVID-19 fatalities since its outbreak emerged in February, the second highest toll in Europe after Britain. Italy has also registered 1.787 million cases to date. Patients in hospital with COVID-19 stood at 29,088 on Thursday, down 565 from the day before. There were 251 new admissions to intensive care units, rising steeply from 152 on Wednesday. The number of intensive care patients decreased by 29 to 3,291, reflecting those who died or were discharged after recovery. When Italy's second wave of the epidemic was accelerating fast in the first half of November, hospital admissions were rising by around 1,000 per day, while intensive care occupancy was increasing by about 100 per day. --SPA 20:00 LOCAL TIME 17:00 GMT 0014 www.spa.gov.sa/w1465617