Italy loosens coronavirus restrictions even further from Monday

Thanks to sinking coronavirus infection numbers, Italy is loosening its restrictions even further starting Monday, as nearly all regions are downgraded to so-called white zones.

Except for the small northern region of Aosta Valley, all regions will be in the zone with the loosest rules, announced Health Minister Roberto Speranza in Rome on Friday.

The risk classification for seven regions will also be correspondingly weakened, including popular travel destinations such as South Tyrol, Tuscany and Sicily.

Few restrictions will remain in place, though masks will remain mandatory in public areas, including outdoors, and rules on distancing still apply.

Italy, with its 60 million inhabitants, registered 1,150 new infections within 24 hours on Friday, as well as 35 new Covid-19-related deaths.

The number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in seven days has dropped to about 16.7 in Italy, experts say.