This archive report was first published on 21 April 2020.
On Monday, April 20, Italy reported a significant drop in active coronavirus cases, marking the first time since the outbreak that the number of positive cases has fallen.
According to the Italian health authorities, the number of people either being treated in the hospital or recovering at home decreased by 20, bringing the total to 108,237.
While the Italian lockdown continues until May 3, some businesses have been allowed to reopen, including bookshops, stationers, and shops selling children's clothes.
However, officials are keen to see how social distancing guidelines are being applied, and the country remains the third most hit by the pandemic globally, after Spain and the US.
As of Sunday, April 19, the increase in active cases in Italy was 486, and the total number of deaths in the country stands at 24,000, according to the US-based Johns Hopkins University.
Italian civil protection agency chief Angelo Borrelli noted, 'For the first time, we have seen a new positive development: the number of currently positive has declined.'
