Daily virus cases surpass 10,000 in Italy

This is according to the head of the north-western region of Liguria said on Saturday.

Conte's office said the government is discussing new restrictions with local and health authorities, aiming to stem contagion while limiting the impact on individuals and businesses.

On Thursday, Campania, which is centered on the southern city of Naples, ordered all its schools to close for two weeks, while the regional leader Vincenzo De Luca said on Friday he would impose a curfew on the night of October 31 to prevent the virus spreading at "stupid" Halloween parties.

New measures could be approved by the government by Monday, according to Italian media outlets.

Italy was the first major European country to be hit by COVID-19 and had managed to get the outbreak under control by the summer thanks to a rigid two-month lockdown on business and people's movement.

The move comes amid a significant rise in new coronavirus cases in recent weeks - coupled by record numbers of tests - and will follow the most recent set of restrictions which enforced the wearing of masks and imposed limits on public gatherings, nightlife and sport.

Italy reported a total of 10,010 new coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours, which increased the country's overall caseload to 107,312, according to the Ministry of Health.

Italy was the first country in Europe to be slammed by COVID-19 and has the second-highest death toll in the continent after the United Kingdom, with 36,427 fatalities since the outbreak flared in February, according to official figures.