Italy said it would ease coronavirus restrictions across much of the country from Monday, despite warnings from health experts, Reuters reports.
After reviewing the latest COVID-19 data, the health ministry said it was shifting 11 regions from orange to so-called yellow zones, giving inhabitants greater freedom to travel and allowing bars and restaurants to reopen during the day.
In total, 16 regions will be in the lowest-risk yellow zone, and just four areas - Puglia, Sardinia, Sicily, and Umbria - in the orange zone, together with the northern Bolzano province.
Nowhere in Italy will be classified as a red zone, bringing stringent curbs on travel and business.
Italy has registered almost 88,000 coronavirus-related deaths since the disease first came to light last February - the second-highest toll in Europe after Britain and the sixth highest in the world.