Italy sets new high for coronavirus infections

ROME -- Italy recorded its highest one-day coronavirus infections on Wednesday, the peak point so far in a second wave that started in late September.

The latest data from the Italian Ministry of Health showed 7,332 new infections between Tuesday and Wednesday.

The country also conducted 152,196 coronavirus tests on Wednesday, more than double the number of swabs carried out in late March, meaning Wednesday's record-high infection rate is still far below the rate from March when stated as a percentage of tests carried out.

Italy's infection rate stayed in the low hundreds starting in June and through most of August. But with travelers coming back from vacations that month and schools reopening in early September, infections rose dramatically from mid-September before reaching Wednesday's record high.

Also on Wednesday, the ministry reported there were 539 patients in intensive care units and 43 deaths from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.