ROME, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Italy reported 8,864 new coronavirus cases on Monday, as the country's authorities were planning to ease restrictions significantly by late April.
Over the past 24 hours, active infections decrease by 11,122 to 493,489, falling under the threshold of 500,000 for the first time since March 12, data by the Health Ministry showed.
The number of people cured since the beginning of the pandemic grew to over 3.2 million after 19,669 new recoveries were registered. Meanwhile, 316 new fatalities took the country's death toll to 117,243.
Overall, considering active infections, deaths, and recoveries, the country counted 3,878,994 coronavirus cases.
Meanwhile, the cabinet and health authorities were detailing the scheduled reopening on April 26, as announced by Prime Minister Mario Draghi on Friday.
Starting next week, 17 out of 20 regions turned orange (signaling a medium-level risk and consequent restrictions), while southern Apulia, northern Aosta Valley, and Sardinia Island remained in the so-called "red zone" under the toughest measures.
The reopening announcement came as a huge relief for thousands of entrepreneurs, who desperately want to relaunch their businesses so far subject to prolonged closures or stringent restrictions.
After setting April 26 as the day to significantly start easing restrictions on business, school, travel, and social life, both Draghi and Health Minister Roberto Speranza explained the government was taking "a calculated risk" with such a step.
They stressed reopening should not lead people to "let down their guard" against the virus, for example by relaxing the basic sanitary measures on social distancing and face masks.
Their cautious comments took into consideration the concerns expressed by several health figures who had warned that reopening too rashly might mean facing another summer under closure.
"This is a very fragile situation, and if the 'calculated risk' is understood as 'freedom for all,' we will see the (pandemic) situation worsen in May," Nino Cartabellotta, president of GIMBE healthcare research foundation, told Radio Cusano Campus on Monday. "Should the curve restart, we risk losing the next tourist season."
Hopes are pinned on the ongoing vaccination campaign to reduce pressures on the healthcare system and allow the country to restart at the same time.
As of Monday, some 15.4 million doses have been administered (or 87.2 percent of 17.3 million doses available in the country), and 4.5 million people were fully immunized after receiving both doses, according to statistics by coronavirus commissioner Francesco Figliuolo's office.
Meanwhile, 272 candidate vaccines are still being developed worldwide -- 88 of them in clinical trials -- in countries including Germany, China, Russia, Britain and the United States, according to information released by the World Health Organization (WHO) late last week. Enditem