Italy COVID-19 cases pass 3,000 with 107 deaths

Italy reported its national number of cases of the new virus had passed 3,000 on Wednesday.

Speaking at a press briefing from Rome, Italy's special commissioner for the coronavirus Angelo Borrelli said there had been a further 28 deaths to bring the toll to 107, the highest outside China, Euronews reported. 

Italy has seen its virus caseload explode since the first homegrown positive test was registered in northern Lombardy on February 19.

As of Wednesday, it had reported a total of 3,089 cases.

The Italian government announced the closure of all schools and universities across the country until March 15 as a measure to decrease and limit the contagion.