The number of nCoV infections in Italy on March 1 increased to 1,694, almost doubling from the 888 cases recorded two days ago.

The head of the Italian Civil Defense Agency, Angelo Borrelli, said on March 1 that within 48 hours, the country had recorded an additional 806 nCoV infections and 13 deaths.

The total number of nCoV infections in Italy is currently 1,694, of which 34 have died, 83 have recovered and 140 are critical, mainly in the regions of Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia Romagna. Lombardy region recorded the highest number of people infected with nCoV in Italy.

Italy is the largest outbreak of Covid-19 in Europe, and many cases in other countries in the region involve people returning from the country. Health officials warned that hospitals in Italy had reached the threshold and would be in crisis if the number of nCoV infections continued to rise.

To prevent the spread of the virus, the Italian government last week banned mass gatherings across northern Italy and closed schools until at least March 8.

Italy's neighbors are also taking precautions to prevent the virus. France on February 29 issued a ban on organizing public gatherings of more than 5,000 people, while Switzerland on February 28 banned events that attracted more than 1,000 people. The United States also advises citizens to avoid unnecessary travel to Italy.

The Covid-19 outbreak began in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province in China in December 2019, so far, it has appeared in 67 countries and territories. The epidemic has left more than 88,000 people infected, 3,000 dead and more than 42,000 cured worldwide.