Italy’s death toll from the coronavirus has overtaken China’s, as hospitals said they were overwhelmed and the government prepared to prolong emergency lockdown measures. A total of 427 deaths were registered in Italy over the past 24 hours, bringing the total nationwide tally to 3,405.
Italy’s death toll from coronavirus on Thursday overtook that of China, where the virus first emerged, 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 more than 3,400 since the outbreak surfaced on Feb. 21. China has recorded more than 3,200 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 in Italy 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 a 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.
“Look at the news that’s coming out of Italy and take note of what the situation reall