ROME 

The death toll from the novel coronavirus rose Tuesday to 10 in Italy, according to the General Directorate of Civil Defense.

The agency said one person recovered from the virus and 162 people are isolated in their homes.

The number infected with the deadly virus, officially known as COVID-19, reaches 322 in eight regions and one autonomous state.

The hardest-hit region is Lombardy in the north, where 240 cases were reported with 35 in intensive care.

The virus has sounded global alarms, with China, where the first case was detected, reporting 2,663 deaths from the outbreak, and health experts grappling to find a cure.

Outside mainland China, the coronavirus has spread to more than 30 other countries, including the U.S., U.K., France, Spain, Russia, Iran, Singapore and India.

Last month, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak an international health emergency.

*Writing by Davut Demircan