Lombardy exhausted by the advance of the coronavirus. Fontana calls Conte: Now extraordinary measures

• Coronavirus, the civil protection bulletin of March 19
• Coronavirus, over 3400 dead in Italy: death toll exceeded in China
• Coronavirus, Fontana: "Too many people around, I ask the Prime Minister for stricter measures"
• Coronavirus, desperate appeal from Bergamo hospital: "We need doctors and nurses"
• Coronavirus, too many dead in Bergamo: the army brings coffins to other cities
• Coronavirus, also the Nibbio patrols engaged in checks in Milan

Share

These are the longest and most difficult days for Italy, never as now in the grip of the coronavirus. With the number of deaths continuing to grow and even exceeding that of the first epicenter of the crisis, China. And these are dramatic days especially in Lombardy, the front line of this battle that still cannot be won.

Governor Fontana telephones Conte: "Army and extraordinary measures"
"Closure of professional offices and public offices, except for indifferent activities. Construction site stoppage. And, further, a further limitation of commercial activities". In addition to the use of the Army, these are the further requests made to the Government by the President of the Lombardy Region, Attilio Fontana, in a phone call with Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. "An interview - explained Fontana - in which I once again represented to the Prime Minister the increasingly serious situation that Lombardy is experiencing".

Count: up to 300 doctors from all over Italy in the affected areas
"Up to 300 doctors will come from all over Italy to support the areas most affected by the coronavirus. We are at the side of the communities that are on the front lines in facing this emergency, we continue to fight this battle with them". This was stated by the Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte. The Prime Minister, with the Civil Protection and on the proposal of the minister Francesco Boccia, has in fact decided to create a task force of doctors from all over Italy to be able to send where there is criticality.

Mattarella telephones the mayor of Bergamo Gori
The Head of State, Sergio Mattarella, telephoned tonight the mayor of Bergamo Giorgio Gori to express his "closeness and solidarity with the people of Bergamo and invited to" hold on ", Mattarella, as ANSA learns from sources in the Municipality of Bergamo said he was "saddened by the story that the city is going through", he expressed "all his closeness and solidarity to the Bergamo people and the mayor".

The Head of State: "Hold on"
According to reports, the President of the Republic has shown to be particularly informed on the issue of Bergamo that he is following closely and said he was "happy" for the release of the field hospital situation and for the announcement of the Government to send 300 doctors in the most affected areas. Even the Head of State, as far as we learn, was struck by the images of the army vehicle column which yesterday brought seventy coffins to other provinces that it was not possible to manage in the Orobic cemetery and asked "to embrace all the from Bergamo and to hold on ".

Borrelli's balance sheet, Italy worse than China
It is a sad record for Italy which, with 3,405 coronavirus victims, exceeded 3,245 deaths in China. 427 new coronavirus deaths have been registered in Italy today, while 415 have recovered. In total there are 33,190 positives (with an increase compared to Wednesday of 4,480) of which 14,935 in home isolation and 2,498 intensive care, equal to 8% of those infected. The total number of infected people - which also includes the victims and the healed - reached 41,035. The data was provided by the emergency commissioner Angelo Borrelli at a press conference to the Civil Protection.

See the updated data

300 positive children, none serious
There are 300 children in Italy so far positive for coronavirus, but no serious cases. Professor Alberto Villano, president of the Italian Society of Pediatrics, said this in his daily briefing with the head of the National Department of Civil Protection, Angelo Borrelli, to take stock of the epidemic in the country. Villani stressed that this emergency "is not a pediatric problem".

59 patients transferred from Lombardy
"Today 59 patients have been transferred from Lombardy, 4 more than yesterday. The total is 22 Covid-19 positive patients and 37 ordinary patients." Angelo Borrelli said so.

Isolation for those returning from Erasmus
"Young people returning from Erasmus will be allowed to move on the national territory. A family member,
already identified, you can pick them up at the airport to go immediately to your place of residence to observe a period of fiduciary isolation ".

A drug withdrawal code
"A little while ago I signed an order as Civil Protection for the dematerialisation of the recipe. Patients will no longer have to go to the family doctor, but will have a code that they will indicate in the pharmacy for the withdrawal of the drugs".

Masks do not stop at customs
"I am in contact with the head of the customs agency, the masks cannot stop at customs. Those destined for hospitals must be cleared through customs immediately. We made requisitions for some consignments of masks and destined for hospitals in Lombardy".

Masks only if necessary
"You need to use principals when they are really needed. They should be reserved as a priority for doctors and nurses." This was made clear by the president of the Italian pediatric society Alberto Villani, in a press conference at the Civil Protection with the commissioner for the coronavirus emergency, Angelo Borrelli. Aimed at journalists Villani recalls the known difficulty at this moment in finding the masks in particular. "As for gloves, reusing them is nonsense," he explains. As for the mask "it should not be used when it is not needed. Neither the Commissioner nor I use it because we are one and a half meters away and there is no reason to wear it". The doctor therefore recommends "intelligent use" of personal protective equipment. "Those who do not need it must not use them because they fail for the health workers to whom they are indispensable".

Don't abandon dogs
"We receive reports of abandonment of pets, especially dogs. This is reprehensible because there is no evidence that pets can transmit the infection."

Swabs for the regions
"We have purchased 390 thousand tampons. We will soon make them available to the health system. And if they are needed, we will buy others."

A place for the homeless
"Places must be organized for the homeless, the Municipalities and the Regions must do it. I know that the topic is being addressed in Rome, I spoke with the mayor Raggi. They are dealing with it with social services, and c 'is the possibility of requisitioning and also acquiring the hotel realities, which can then have refreshment for the costs of the emergency ".

No emergencies in migrant centers
"The crowding for centers for migrants in this period is decidedly less than in other historical moments, but the Department of Civil Liberties and Immigration of the Ministry of the Interior has had a preventive attitude right away and has issued a series of provisions aimed at guaranteeing interpersonal distancing. These are provisions of the utmost prudence and caution. I have not come to know of cases ". Said the head of the Civil Protection, Angelo Borrelli.

Lombardy under pressure
"In Lombardy coronavirus positives are 19,884, 2,171 more, a significantly high figure. The new infections are 634. 7387 are hospitalized with much lower growth, only 182 more, 1006 are hospitalized in intensive care more. Coronavirus victims in Lombardy rise to 2,168, 209 have died in the last 24 hours. In Milan there are 3,278 coronavirus positive 635 more than yesterday. And this is a fact that worries us ". This was communicated by the Lombard Welfare Councilor Giulio Gallera at the press conference to take stock of the health emergency. Meanwhile Gallera warns: "We no longer have beds in many centers", however he adds: "On Saturday afternoon 65 Cuban doctors and nurses will come to Milan who have fought Ebola and are therefore experts in the treatment of viral diseases". "This brigade" added Gallera, will reinforce one of the most distressed principals, that of Crema.

The field hospital in Bergamo will take place
The field hospital in Bergamo will be built, but it is expected to have certainties on the staff. The councilor Giulio Gallera said it. "The Lombardy Region has never wanted to block the Bergamo field hospital, indeed it considers it very important. There are many hospitals in the Region that are now collapsing and with which we are constantly confronted. We are putting in place all the tools we can to relieve the pressure. We have reached the point where there are no more beds in many units. In these weeks we have 724 to 1250 places in intensive care. We would have the space to open new beds in pneumology or intensive care, but there are no machinery. 25 new respirators arrive every night. But the real theme is the theme of personnel. We need personnel, which is the most critical today. We explore all the roads, but we only activate them when we are able to complete them. We are not announcements people, so we asked to postpone the activation of the field hospital, because we still did not have the certainty of being able to recover the staff. or the advanced medical facility able to accommodate stable patients when we are sure to have staff. The Chinese Red Cross chief said today that a contingent of doctors from China may arrive. We don't know when they will arrive, but in the meantime we can begin to start the project. So now a letter to the ministry is leaving and we are leaving. "