With 3,405 COVID-19 deaths, Italy just surpassed China as the country with the highest coronavirus death toll

Antonio Masiello/Getty Images

An ambulance leaves the Istituto Superiore Lazzaro Spallanzani Hospital where the most coronavirus patients in Lazio, Italy, are hospitalized on March 19, 2020.

• Italy has overtaken China as the country with the most coronavirus-related deaths.
• The nation's outbreak has killed 3,405 people and infected 41,035 others as of Thursday.
• China, where the COVID-19 virus originated in late 2019, has confirmed 3,249 deaths.
• This announcement comes on the heels of more bad news: Italy on Wednesday recorded the highest single-day death toll of any country since the coronavirus outbreak began: 475 deaths.
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Italy's coronavirus outbreak hit a tragic milestone Thursday: The nation overtook China as the country with most coronavirus-related deaths.

Local news agency Corriere della Sera reported that Italy's death toll has reached 3,405, while its caseload has surged to 41,035. The COVID-19 virus, which originated in Wuhan late last year, has killed 3,249 Chinese citizens, according to data from John Hopkins.

On Wednesday, Italy recorded the highest single-day death toll of any country since the coronavirus outbreak began: 475 deaths.

Even at the height of China's outbreak, its highest single-day death toll was 150, on February 23. Spain recorded 209 deaths on Thursday, but that's still far less than Italy's number.

Italy's 60 million residents have been on lockdown since March 10. It's underfunded healthcare system is collapsing under the strain of an unending stream of patients, insufficient beds, and lack of medical resources.

The coronavirus has now infected more than 230,000 people worldwide and killed at least 9,300 others.

Shayanne Gal/Business Insider

• Read more:
• Italy reports 475 coronavirus deaths, the highest single-day death toll for any country since the outbreak began
• Italy just recorded the highest single-day death toll of any country with a coronavirus outbreak. Here's how this catastrophe unfolded.
• How Italy spiraled from a perfectly healthy country to near collapse in 24 days as the coronavirus took hold
• Italians share what they wish they'd done 10 days ago to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, from staying inside to listening to their mom's advice
• Italy is in a nationwide lockdown because of the coronavirus. Here are the rules its 60 million citizens now have to follow.

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