Nearly 200 people in Italy have died in 24 hours as cases of coronavirus in the locked down country continue to rise.

There have been 827 deaths in Italy and the number of cases increased by more than 2,000, from 10,149 to 12,462, official figures showed.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has added new restrictions, saying all shops will be shut apart from supermarkets, food stores and chemists, and companies must close all departments which are not essential to production.

Businesses such as hairdressers and beauty parlours will also be shut, along with bars and restaurants that cannot guarantee they can keep a distance of at least one metre between customers.

In the worst-hit area, the northern region of Lombardy, there have been 617 fatalities, an increase of 149 in the last 24 hours.

The number of cases in the region - which includes Italy's financial capital Milan and has seen the majority of cases of the virus - has also risen by 1,489 in the last 24 hours, Reuters reported.

It comes after the Republic of Ireland reported its first death of a patient who tested positive for coronavirus, the country's Health Protection Surveillance Centre has said.

BDST: 1132 HRS, MAR 12, 2020
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