Italy records 743 virus deaths, surging to break two-day trend

The daily toll was the second highest recorded in Italy since the crisis began.

Italy reported a sharp rise in its coronavirus death toll Tuesday, with 743 more victims, breaking a two-day trend that had fuelled hopes the epidemic may be on the wane.

A train security staff member checks the temperature of a passenger arriving from Turin and Milan by train at Naples Central station as Italy ramps up measures to slow the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Naples, Italy. (REUTERS)

The daily toll was the second highest recorded in Italy since the crisis began, but the civil protection agency said that while the number of new cases was up on Monday’s figure, the infection rate was slowing.