Italian coronavirus pandemic might peak this week, WHO says

The Covid-19 pandemic in Italy may hit its peak as soon as during the present week, the world's health watchdog said.

In remarks to Radio Capital, World Health Organisation deputy director, Ranieri Guerra, said: "The slowing in the pace of growth is an extremely positive factor, and in some regions I believe we are close to the drop-off point of the curve, therefore the peak may be reached this week and then fall away.

"I believe that this week and the first days of the next will be decisive because they will be moments in which the government's measures of 15-20 days ago should find an effect", he said, referring to a nationwide lockdown on movements."

Despite the positive news, as of 1402 GMT the FTSE Mibtel was trading lower by 1.47% at 16,690.07, even as the yield on the country's benchmark 10-year government note edged up by two basis points to 1.58%.