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ROME, Feb. 29-- A total of 1,049 people tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Italy, Civil Protection Department chief and Extraordinary Commissioner for the coronavirus emergency Angelo Borrelli said on Saturday. This figure did not comprise fatalities and recoveries. "Some 543 people -- or 52 percent of those affected -- are currently under house quarantine, since they are asymptomatic, or presents light symptoms and need no hospital treatments," Borrelli told a press conference at 6 p.m. local time (1700 GMT). Another 401 people (38 percent) were hospitalized with symptoms, and 105 (10 percent) in hospital in intensive care, the official added. The death toll rose to 29 people from 21, after eight more people died, with six in the Lombardy region and two in the Emilia Romagna region. "However, this figure can be confirmed only after the National Health Institute (ISS) has definitely established the cause of death," the Health Ministry stated. The number of people who have recovered from the infection also rose to 50 from 46 in the previous day. Considering both fatalities and recoveries, the official count of cases in the country thus reached 1,128. The majority of the infections were still registered in northern Lombardy (615 cases), central Emilia Romagna (217), and northeast Veneto (191), according to the Civil Protection chief. "There are currently some 1,800 law enforcement officials and 800 Civil Protection volunteers deployed across the country to assist doctors and medical staff," Borrelli also explained. | 
