Health workers provide first Aird in front of Sant'Orsola Hospital on Wednesday, March 18, in Bologna, Italy. Massimo Cavallari/Getty Images

Italy has just surpassed China for the most number of deaths related to COVID-19.

The total number of cases in the country rose to 41,035 on Thursday, which includes 5,322 new cases, the Italian Civil Protection Agency said at a news conference.

The number of deaths in Italy has reached 3,405. Italy has become the deadliest center of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The current number of deaths in China stands at 3,242, according to the World Health Organization.