Coronavirus: Italy records 969 deaths in the last 24 hours

Italy recorded its highest daily death toll since the outbreak began, with 969 new deaths on Friday.

Italy recorded 4,401 new cases of Covid-19.

Italy’s total coronavirus related deaths now number 9,134 since the outbreak began.

On Friday, Italy also became the second country, after the US, to pass the total number of confirmed cases in China.

Spain also recorded a high death toll, with 769 new deaths in the past 24 hours.

6,273 new cases were also recorded by Spain, with the total number of cases at 64,059, since the pandemic began in the country.

France extended lockdown measures by two weeks until April 15.

"After these first 10 days of confinement, it is clear that we are just at the beginning of this epidemic wave. It has submerged eastern France and now it is arriving in the Paris region and northern France," French PM Edouard Philippe said.

The global death toll has now passed 27,000 mark, with over 553,000 cases being reported.

Over 127,500 people have recovered from the virus.