Italy surpasses the 1 million Covid mark, joins top 10 worst-hit countries: Reuters tally

People wear protective face masks, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in Rome, Italy. [Reuters]

Italy, one of the European countries hit hardest by COVID-19, surpassed the one-million infections mark on Wednesday, leap-frogging Mexico to become one of the top 10 worst-affected countries globally, according to a Reuters tally.

The Italian health ministry said the country had registered 32,961 new cases over the past 24 hours, taking its total tally since the contagion first struck in February to 1.028 million.