Italy passes China's coronavirus death toll, prepares to extend lockdown

By James Mackenzie and Crispian Balmer

 

FILE PHOTO: General view of a man in a street wearing a protective face mask in Sorrento as Italy remains under a nationwide lockdown in a government decree that orders Italians to stay at home, in Sorrento, Italy, March 19, 2020. REUTERS/Ciro De Luca

 

MILAN (Reuters) - Italy's death toll from coronavirus overtook that of China, where the virus first emerged, on Thursday as hospitals said they were being overwhelmed and the government prepared to prolong emergency lockdown measures.

 

A total 427 deaths were registered in Italy over the past 24 hours, bringing the total nationwide tally to 3,405 since the outbreak surfaced on Feb. 21. China has recorded 3,245 deaths since early January.

 

However, Italy has far fewer confirmed cases - 41,035 as of Thursday against 80,907 in China.

 

Officials and experts believe the total number of infections here is significantly higher, with testing largely limited to those arriving for hospital care. The country's large, elderly population, who are particularly vulnerable to the virus, is also seen as factor for the high number of fatalities.

 

"We're working in a state of very high stress and tension," said Daniela Confalonieri, a nurse at a hospital in Milan, the capital of the wealthy northern region of Lombardy, which has been the epicentre of the epidemic.

 

"Unfortunately we can't contain the situation in Lombardy. There's a high level of contagion and we're not even counting the dead any more," she said.

 

The government announced late Thursday it was putting together a 300-strong team of medical volunteers from the rest of the country to reinforce to the worst-affected areas.

 

Underscoring the scale of the drama, soldiers transported bodies overnight from the northern town of Bergamo, northeast of Milan, whose cemetery has been overwhelmed.

 

An army spokesman said 15 trucks and 50 soldiers had been deployed to move coffins to neighbouring provinces. Earlier local authorities had appealed for help with cremations as their own crematorium could not cope with the huge workload.

 

"Look at the news that's coming out of Italy and take note of what the situation really is like. It's unimaginable," said the Milan nurse, Confalonieri.

 

While the rest of the Italian population stay at home on lockdown, the livelihood of vulnerable homeless people who have no choice but to sleep on the streets has become a major concern. Soraya Ali reports.

 

POLICE CHECKS

Italy went into virtual lockdown before other countries in Europe but, with cases still rising, the government is considering even tougher measures that would further restrict the limited amount of outdoor movement currently permitted.

 

Luca Zaia, governor of the Veneto region neighbouring Lombardy, demanded stronger curbs from Rome, including closing all shops on Sunday, and said if they were not passed, he would consider passing a regional decree.

 

"I hope there will soon be measures to restrict people jogging or going out for walks. I'm sorry about that, but the alternative is intensive care, hospitalisation and contagion," he said.

 

At the other end of the country, in Sicily, the regional governor said the army would now help police make spot checks to ensure only people with legitimate reasons were out.

 

Police across Italy have stopped more than 1.2 million people over the past week and booked some 51,000 for violating the rules, the interior ministry said on Thursday.

 

Corriere della Sera newspaper quoted Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte as saying the government would extend the deadline on emergency rules closing schools and many businesses.

 

The measures currently order most shops to stay shut until at least March 25 and schools till April 3. He did not say how long schools would have to remain closed.

 

Education Minister Lucia Azzolina told SkyTG24 television that schools would reopen only when there was "certainty of absolute safety", adding that the end of the school year would depend on how well online lessons went in coming weeks.

 

The contagion is also badly damaging Italy's economy, which had already been on the brink of recession before the virus struck last month and the government imposed a nationwide clampdown, causing many businesses to grind to a halt.

 

The Treasury has announced a 25 billion euro ($26.84 billion) package of measures to support companies and workers and sources said it was considering extending guarantees on bank loans to help firms hit by a collapse in orders.

 

(Crispian Balmer reported for this story in Rome. Additional reporting by Elvira Pollina and Agnieszka Flak in Milan, Angelo Amante in Rome, Riccardo Bastianello in Venice; Editing by Gareth Jones and Angus MacSwan)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-03-20

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May not yet be the end of the world...but in Italy it is the end of the line for hundreds of people...medical personnel, cemeteries, and crematoriums overwhelmed.

 

Thailand take notice...this virus is the real deal!

54 minutes ago, webfact said:

China has recorded 3,245 deaths since early January.

"officially"

3 hours ago, webfact said:

There's a high level of contagion and we're not even counting the dead any more," she said.

 

Working under these conditions to help the infected to survive is truly an heroic act .

I really hope that these healthcare workers won't get infected themselves .

Apples and oranges—Italy’s numbers close to reality.  China’s numbers released by the totalitarian government.

China's figs are hundreds of thousands if not a million+

It's annoying to here tv & radio stations utter Chinese figs are though they are gospel. A complete lack of critical thinking 

 

https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3871594

Edited March 20, 20206 yr by Canuck1966

3 hours ago, Puchaiyank said:

May not yet be the end of the world...but in Italy it is the end of the line for hundreds of people...medical personnel, cemeteries, and crematoriums overwhelmed.

 

Thailand take notice...this virus is the real deal!

Thailand's people are too immature and irresponsible to take it seriously.

This place will get absolutely hammered in the next few months

1 hour ago, nobodysfriend said:

Working under these conditions to help the infected to survive is truly an heroic act .

I really hope that these healthcare workers won't get infected themselves .

They  will because of the idiot  govt  suggesting EVERYONE should  wear masks when its  not  necessary and should be for frontline staff

3 hours ago, Chazar said:

"officially"

Conspiracists nonsense. My all family and friends in China(spread from Xinjiang to Hainan to Hebei to Harbin) all reporting well and no casualties, yes China is a developing relatively low income country with a lot of short comings, but that doesn't mean we live in grim dystopian. Chinese life are no big different from rest of the world.

 

China did the most draconian countermeasure no other country ever tried, that's why situation in China could fully recover in such short time. Lots of collateral damage but everyday life normal right now. 

 

Also bear in mind China population(1.4 billion, source wiki) are 24 folds of that Italy, that means the severity is more than 24 times grave in Italy than China - time for solidarity, begone all conspiracists nonsense.

 

If you're going to criticize numbers, what's better than an US of A with insufficient test swab and don't test patients unless they meet ridiculous criteria(src: https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-washington-failed-to-build-a-robust-coronavirus-testing-system-11584552147, https://www.texastribune.org/2020/03/18/coronavirus-testing-Texas/, https://abcnews.go.com/Health/doctors-covid-19-tests-administered-due-mask-shortage/story?id=69625882, etc.)? And started an intriguing army operation fly test swabs from Italy to US for US use(src:https://www.foxnews.com/us/air-force-flew-500000-coronavirus-test-kits, https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2020/03/us-air-force-flew-half-million-coronavirus-test-kits-italy-tennessee/163879/)?

Italy numbers are because the medical people are not being muzzled by their

government. Thailand froze their numbers for a spell, and I believe that  China's

numbers are low. How is Spain and Greece and Turkey

doing?  Iraq, Libya, Iran?

Geezer

7 minutes ago, Coremouse said:

Conspiracists nonsense. My all family and friends in China(spread from Xinjiang to Hainan to Hebei to Harbin) all reporting well and no casualties, yes China is a developing relatively low income country with a lot of short comings, but that doesn't mean we live in grim dystopian. Chinese life are no big different from rest of the world.

 

China did the most draconian countermeasure no other country ever tried, that's why situation in China could fully recover in such short time. Lots of collateral damage but everyday life normal right now. 

 

Also bear in mind China population(1.4 billion, source wiki) are 24 folds of that Italy, that means the severity is more than 24 times grave in Italy than China - time for solidarity, begone all conspiracists nonsense.

 

If you're going to criticize numbers, what's better than an US of A with insufficient test swab and don't test patients unless they meet ridiculous criteria(src: https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-washington-failed-to-build-a-robust-coronavirus-testing-system-11584552147, https://www.texastribune.org/2020/03/18/coronavirus-testing-Texas/, https://abcnews.go.com/Health/doctors-covid-19-tests-administered-due-mask-shortage/story?id=69625882, etc.)? And started an intriguing army operation fly test swabs from Italy to US for US use(src:https://www.foxnews.com/us/air-force-flew-500000-coronavirus-test-kits, https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2020/03/us-air-force-flew-half-million-coronavirus-test-kits-italy-tennessee/163879/)?

The bots are here 

Just now, Stargrazer9889 said:

Italy numbers are because the medical people are not being muzzled by their

government. Thailand froze their numbers for a spell, and I believe that  China's

numbers are low. How is Spain and Greece and Turkey

doing?  Iraq, Libya, Iran?

Geezer

Jesus all those conspiracists nonsense. have you ever been CHina or do you really understand Chinese thinking? As worked with corrupted police and various govt myself, I'd say if some Chinese official wanna fake the numbers, they will bloat numbers sky high. So the actual number would be less IF only happend. 

 

Why? 

1. The more severe an epidemic, less likely particular official would be held for responsible

2. because 1., there're really no consequences bloating number!

3. if there was economic regression if any, a great excuse! prepare for future career

4. the messier it looks more opportunity to gain.

5. the messier it looks, brighter shinier medal when it ends. 

6. the messier it looks, more state funds & donations goes in, more profit. 

 

Jesus.. do you conspiracists really understand how Chinese bureaucracy works? <35 regional casualty play down, >35 casualty  across provinces play up.

 

Look and learn from Mr. bigliar & Foxnews, the moment they found this virus could not be easily contained, the moment their tone from "ignore it, just a flu" "an excuse to impeach Mr. bigliar" changed to "severe, invoke wwii-era law to fight"

src. https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/12/media/fox-news-coronavirus/index.html

src. https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2020/03/18/Trump-invokes-WWII-era-law-to-make-up-medical-shortages-fight-COVID-19/7181584535494/

14 minutes ago, Canuck1966 said:

The bots are here 

Who's more bot-like, a CanuckThai likes Canuck1966's post? 

You're being rude and ignorant say I'm bot you know? I'm just another Chinese transgender live & work in Bangkok.

 

 

Edited March 20, 20206 yr by Coremouse

33 minutes ago, Chazar said:

They  will because of the idiot  govt  suggesting EVERYONE should  wear masks when its  not  necessary and should be for frontline staff

I have a different opinion. Many have the virus and are contagious, but feel healthy and do not get sick. The long incubation period of 14 days or more is also a problem. It is not a question of not getting the virus yourself, but of not passing on the virus. The majority are old people who are at risk and people with previous illnesses. If everyone wore a face mask, it wouldn't hurt at all.

 

What you have to criticize is that there are not enough facial masks for the population.

anyone has an idea why ITALY have so many to start with ???

 

did they have 1.000.000 chinese tourists per month and 150.000 from WUHAN ???

4 minutes ago, justin case said:

anyone has an idea why ITALY have so many to start with ???

 

did they have 1.000.000 chinese tourists per month and 150.000 from WUHAN ???

They imported a lot of Chinese to do the intricate hand designed bags/clothes for Gucci, D&G etc

Impossible for a Western person to do it at that cost

That way they could still put on the labels 'made in Italy'

Edited March 20, 20206 yr by Canuck1966

Just now, justin case said:

anyone has an idea why ITALY have so many to start with ???

 

did they have 1.000.000 chinese tourists per month and 150.000 from WUHAN ???

Italy was one of the first denied ALL Chinese entry. Along with North Korea. 

Most Chinese in Italy are actually from southern Zhejiang, quite far from what Wuhan epicenter, and doesn't have many cases. 

What it says focus on all really useful prevention measures like social distancing, effective test & tracking, controlled lockdown, emergency planning, etc etc. Simply hate on and blocking Chinese would be no help, at all. 

China has done a better job than Italy in fighting the virus.

 

The death figures prove this.

 

China has just announced that there are no new cases for the first time since December.

 

They would not make such an announcement if it was not clear the virus cases are controlled in China.

 

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2237475-coronavirus-latest-news-china-reports-no-new-local-cases/

21 minutes ago, Coremouse said:

Italy was one of the first denied ALL Chinese entry. Along with North Korea. 

Most Chinese in Italy are actually from southern Zhejiang, quite far from what Wuhan epicenter, and doesn't have many cases. 

What it says focus on all really useful prevention measures like social distancing, effective test & tracking, controlled lockdown, emergency planning, etc etc. Simply hate on and blocking Chinese would be no help, at all. 

 

Actually, the first cases of coronavirus in Italy were two Chinese tourists.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_coronavirus_pandemic_in_Italy

 

Italy closed its borders to Chinese on 31 January, yes much earlier than Germany, but still too late.

Italy may be over-reporting the number of deaths due to coronavirus - https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/have-many-coronavirus-patients-died-italy/

The big irony with Italy is that Italy really was one of the first to close borders, it acted with lightning speed. On 29 January the two Chinese tourists were diagnosed with the virus and on 31 January Italy closed its borders.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_coronavirus_pandemic_in_Italy

 

Sadly it was too late. European governments, rather than waiting for cases in their own country and then closing the borders should have closed the borders as soon as China announced cases in December. That was the only way. 

 

 

Edited March 20, 20206 yr by Logosone

5 minutes ago, Logosone said:

The big irony with Italy is that Italy really was one of the first to close borders, it acted with lightning speed. On 29 January the two Chinese tourists were diagnosed with the virus and on 31 January Italy closed its borders.

And ever since the newspapers have been full of stories about how the Italians have been flouting all the rules on social distancing, travel etc.

china is full of BS and its all simply to prop up their leaders the ccp. Even the chinese people are saying that it is BS and that china is still getting lines of people waiting to be tested and also building new hospitals for the infected, the ccp are trying to blame everyone else so they can remain strong and in power)and the simple minded are being sucked in), if the rest of the world hits them up for the fact they covered the virus up for months instead of allowing the rest of the world to know about it the ccp will fall to bits and china will beacome the back water it really is again. The truth is china cannot afford for the truth to come out because it will totally <deleted> up the country and their ambition to become the leading world power house, they are the dirty backwater of the world and resposible for all the current deaths from the chinese virus, xi is the orchestrator of all this trouble and the sooner he is gone the better

Edited March 20, 20206 yr by seajae

10 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

And ever since the newspapers have been full of stories about how the Italians have been flouting all the rules on social distancing, travel etc.

Of all the European countries with large number of infected it is the Germans who have fared the best.

 

Almost 10,000 cases and not a SINGLE death.

 

Of course that is most likely due to German doctors being the best in the world and the excellent health care system. Definitely not due to the political response which was slow and pointless.

11 minutes ago, Logosone said:

The big irony with Italy is that Italy really was one of the first to close borders, it acted with lightning speed. On 29 January the two Chinese tourists were diagnosed with the virus and on 31 January Italy closed its borders.

No irony at all. 

Although the govt. and certain members of the medical profession tried to warn them, Italians treated the coronavirus with arrogance and refused to let it affect their lifestyle.  They kept congregating and going ojt as they always did, often with 3 generations of family.  They also kept travelling.  As a result, their country has been devastated.  The French and Spanish were barely any better.  Now all of Europe is covered with infected. 

If comparing continents, Europe has 15-20x the infections as North America.  The US has 195 dead compared to how many thousands?

 

Surely reported infections are totally meaningless unless everyone is tested. If you only test 1% of the populated, say 600,000 in Italy, then the result means nothing.

3 minutes ago, Iron Tongue said:

No irony at all. 

Although the govt. and certain members of the medical profession tried to warn them, Italians treated the coronavirus with arrogance and refused to let it affect their lifestyle.  They kept congregating and going ojt as they always did, often with 3 generations of family.  They also kept travelling.  As a result, their country has been devastated.  The French and Spanish were barely any better.  Now all of Europe is covered with infected. 

If comparing continents, Europe has 15-20x the infections as North America.  The US has 195 dead compared to how many thousands?

 

I think us population/residential are generally less dense and more spread out which is a huge plus. But US situation is also serious yesterday alone popped nearly 5,000 new cases & ~60 deaths, even in logarithm scale the new cases is spiking, and fast. 

11 minutes ago, Iron Tongue said:

No irony at all. 

Although the govt. and certain members of the medical profession tried to warn them, Italians treated the coronavirus with arrogance and refused to let it affect their lifestyle.  They kept congregating and going ojt as they always did, often with 3 generations of family.  They also kept travelling.  As a result, their country has been devastated.  The French and Spanish were barely any better.  Now all of Europe is covered with infected. 

If comparing continents, Europe has 15-20x the infections as North America.  The US has 195 dead compared to how many thousands?

 

 

It is ironic because the Italian government response has perhaps been one of the best, fastest and most decisive, yet the virus has caused more deaths than anywhere else.

 

The US ? Oh please, they haven't even tested 0.00000001 of the population. The US figures are less reliable than China's.

 

The German death figure is zero, with 10000 infected (that's just the identified cases, taking the UK chief health adviser's ten to twenty multiple Germany has 100,000 or 200,000 cases). But zero deaths. The US has admitted to 6362 cases and already has 55 deaths. Which health care system would I rather be in? The European, ie German one, that's for sure.

Edited March 20, 20206 yr by Logosone

If the Chinese cannot be honest about where the virus started, actually they changed their minds when it blew up, how can we take their casualty numbers at face value? They lied about the numbers of dead at Tienanmen Sq, even the Chinese Red Cross said the real total was about 10x what the CCP claimed. Lets be honest unlike the CCP and start calling it the Wuhan virus.

15 minutes ago, Logosone said:

Of all the European countries with large number of infected it is the Germans who have fared the best.

 

Almost 10,000 cases and not a SINGLE death.

 

Of course that is most likely due to German doctors being the best in the world and the excellent health care system. Definitely not due to the political response which was slow and pointless.

How do the best Dr's stop people from catching the Wuhan virus?