By James Simons
The whole 0f Italy is on complete lockdown after it emerged that 97 people had died due to the coronavirus since Sunday in Italy. The total number of deaths now stands at 463.
With the number of cases so far at a high 9,172, Italy’s PM Giuseppe Conte announced on Monday that special measures will be imposed across the whole country, including travel restrictions and a ban on gatherings, in a desperate bid to stem the spread of coronavirus.
The coordinator for intensive care in the crisis unit for the northern Lombardy region told CNN that Lombardy’s health care system was “one step from collapse” despite efforts to free up hospital beds.
“We are now being forced to set up intensive care treatment in corridors,” Antonio Pesenti said. “We’ve emptied entire hospital sections to make space for seriously sick people.”
He described seeing “a tsunami of patients,” adding that there could be 18,000 patients in hospital by the end of the month if the virus continues to spread.
The prime minister said all sporting events are also to be suspended. I am going to sign a decree that can be summarised as follows: I stay at home,” Conte announced in a dramatic evening television address.
“The whole of Italy will become a protected zone,” he said. Schools and Universities in China have already been closed in a desperate response to the calamity gripping Italy.