Italy passes decree for new stimulus, relief measures

Rome: Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte's cabinet announced that it has passed a decree to providenew stimulus and relief measures to businesses and worker categories affected by the latest series of restrictions against the Covid-19 pandemic.

Overall, the provision was worth some 8 billion euros ($9.6 billion), Xinhua news agency quoted the cabinet as saying in its announcement on Monday.

According to the announcement, the provision also included various tax delays and tax exemptions for firms, and a single tranche of economic aid, up to 1,000 euros for workers such as those employed in the show business and tourism sectors, among other measures.

The announcement comes as active coronavirus infections in Italy has decreased by 7,300 on a daily average, as the incumbent restrictions in the country have led to the slowing down of the second wave of the pandemic, according to health officials.

On Monday, the country reported 16,377 new cases, taking the overall infection tally to 1,601,554, the Health Ministry said.

However, active coronavirus infections were 788,471 on Monday, down from 795,771 on Sunday, the latest statistics revealed.

Meanwhile, the country's death toll rose by 672 to 55,576.

Earlier this month, the government had introduced a three-tiered system that split the country into three zones (red for the highest risk, orange for medium risk, and yellow for low risk) according to the level of virus transmission and the situation of the public health system in each region.