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Italy has now passed 80,000 deaths from Covid-19.
It comes as the World Health Organisation is warning the second year of the Covid-19 pandemic may be tougher than the first, as more-infectious variants circulate.
Elsewhere in Europe, the United Kingdom's seen just under 85-thousand deaths, and France is approaching 69,000.
Rome correspondent Jo McKenna told Tim Dower Italy's had 500 deaths in the last 24 hours , along with nearly 16,000 infections.
She says the state of emergency has been extended until April, which is depressing for people because it reinforces just how bleak the outlook is.
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