Coronavirus: the army deployed in Lombardy to enforce containment

114 soldiers will be deployed in Milan, the Italian economic capital, to control the compulsory confinement of residents. Reuters / Guglielmo Mangiapane

Text by: Anne Tréca

Bruised, confined and breathless Italy still does not see the end of the tunnel. According to the authorities of Lombardy, one of the regions most affected by the coronavirus in the country, it shows no signs of slowing down on the spot. Result: the army is called in to reinforce the containment of the population.

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From our correspondent in Rome,

After days of negotiation with Rome, the governor of Lombardy has just obtained what he wanted: the army in the streets. A total of 114 soldiers will be deployed to Milan, the Italian economic capital, to control the compulsory confinement of residents.

With patrols of armed men, the authorities hope to create a psychological shock, since Lombardy is still the region most affected by the coronavirus. For almost a month now, she has been trying to stop the contagion curve and for the moment, it has been unsuccessful.

Despite containment, increasing number of cases

The coronavirus caused more deaths in Italy than in China and half of the Italian victims were in Lombardy. This Thursday, March 19, in a single day, there were 2,271 new cases of positivity, including 635 for the city of Milan alone. Lombardy, where hospitals are overwhelmed, counted 381 additional new deaths this Friday (2,549 in total).

However, an analysis of mobile phone networks has shown that despite the danger, 40% of people continue to move. The Milan metro in the morning is still full.

The soldiers also enter the scene in the south of the country, in the Campania region, where a hundred soldiers are currently taking matters into their own hands. Now Sardinia is also asking for a hand from the army.

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  • Italy
  • Coronavirus
  • Health and Medicine

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