Italy recorded 712 Covid-19 deaths in the last 24 hours, pushing the total tally to 8,215, it was announced on Thursday, March 26,

New infections rose by 6,153 to 80,539.

The number of confirmed cases looks set to surpass the more than 81,000 infections recorded in China where the pandemic began.

The northern region of Lombardy, the epicentre of the outbreak, saw its numbers climb on Thursday.

The situation appeared particularly worrying in Lombardy's capital Milan, which is also Italy's financial hub, where new infections jumped by more than 800 to almost 7,000.

Only the neighbouring provinces of Bergamo and Brescia have a higher number of cases.

Over the last 10 years, Lombardy had recorded on average 45 deaths a week.

This ticked up to 64 at the end of February and then soared, hitting a peak of 313 deaths between March 15 to 21.

Medical workers have been particularly affected as 40 doctors had so far died, many of them general practitioners in northern towns and cities.

Italy's less developed south is growing increasingly anxious as it sees its own numbers go up, with several regions reporting growth rates in new cases that are above the national average.

The rise in cases in Italy well over double that seen in anywhere else in the world, is despite stringent lockdown measures introduced progressively since Feb. 23.

"I do not know if we have hit the peak or if we have missed something... all I can say is that I am worried," Lombardy governor Attilio Fontana told reporters.

However, he warned that when new cases finally receded, the government would not necessarily be able to relax the lockdown, which is due to be lifted on April 3.

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