The virus-ravaged region of Lombardy crossed the 10,000-death mark in its battle against the coronavirus, while Italy as a whole continued its slow pace to bring the numbers of new infections down.

Lombardy accounted for 300 of the 610 deaths nationwide over the past 24 hours, evidence that the original epicenter of Europe’s COVID-19 pandemic remains its most deadly. Overall, Italy has the world’s highest coronavirus death toll, at 18,279.

Nearly 2,000 more people were declared cured of the virus over the past day, but 4,204 more tested positive, bringing Italy’s official caseload to 143,626. Two-thirds of those currently infected are being treated at home, further easing pressure on the hospital system.

Officials are urging Italians to adhere rigidly to the nationwide lockdown that marks its one-month mark Friday, particularly with the long Easter weekend starting.