Italian officials reported that cases of coronavirus in the country surged 45% over the course of one day.
The number of confirmed cases of the illness in the country jumped from 222 to 322 on Monday. Officials said that 11 people have died from the illness so far, according to the Associated Press.
“Obviously, I can’t say I’m not worried because I don’t want anyone to think we’re underestimating this emergency,” Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte told reporters before meeting with World Health Organization officials. “But we trust that, with the measures we’ve implemented, there will be a containing effect in the coming days.”
Italy has struggled getting protective gear and coronavirus test kits to affected areas of the country. The government has closed schools, theaters, and other public gathering places in the sections hardest hit to limit the spread. Cases have continued to pop up despite the government’s efforts, and several of the cases in other countries may have originated from people traveling to Italy.
In the United States, development for a coronavirus vaccine is ahead of schedule, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases head Anthony Fauci said on Tuesday. Health officials will begin clinical test trials with the experimental vaccine in two to three months.
The positive news came the same day that Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccine expert Nancy Messonnier warned that the virus would eventually run loose through the U.S. and that the only unknown is when.
“Disruption to everyday life might be severe,” Messonnier told reporters.
