Italy, with the infection rate ticking up in many parts of the country, the health ministry said on Friday.The estimated Covid-19 reproduction "R" number has risen to 0.95 from 0.84 a week ago, the health ministry said, as officials warned that new restrictions are likely to be announced later in the day for a number of regions.Also Read | India speeds up vaccination driveBritish scientists have said the variant, first identified in southeast England at the end of last year, is up to 70% more contagious than other variants, with a mortality risk around 30% higher."It is probably destined to become the prevalent one (in Italy) in the coming months," Italy's National Institute of Health said in a statement on Friday.Italy has registered.