Italy reported over 10,000 new cases of coronavirus on Friday, its highest ever daily toll, as the country braces for the latest wave of infections sweeping Europe.

The toll of 10,010 infections in one day -- with 55 deaths -- was the third day in a row that Italy broke coronavirus records.

At the height of Italy's coronavirus crisis in March, the highest 24-hour toll of new infections was 6,557.

More than 150,000 tests were performed in the last day.

Over 391,000 people have contracted Covid-19 in Italy, and 36,427 people have died.