Italy on Monday reported seven deaths and more than 220 new COVID-19 coronavirus cases, amid growing anxiety about the spread of the virus in Europe.
Two virus clusters developed last week in the northern regions of Lombardy and Veneto. Infections have also been reported in the neighbouring regions of Emilia-Romagna and Piedmont.
Civil Protection Agency chief Angelo Borrelli reported a total of 229 contagions, including the dead and three older cases in Rome, one of whom recovered and was dismissed from hospital on Saturday.
The figures make Italy the country with the highest number of coronavirus cases in Europe, and the fourth in the world after China, Japan and South Korea.

Meanwhile, the United States is said to also be among the countries where the new COVID-19 coronavirus epidemic is rapidly spreading, as 19 more cases have been recorded in the last 48 hours. Panic has started to spread in Italy, as images of empty shelves in supermarkets are being shared around the world.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the total number of deaths worldwide stands at 1,701 and those infected are 80,146, with 27,563 patients recovering.

In China, 71 more deaths were reported, while South Korea reported one more victim.