By News Desk
Atleast 1,000 Italians have been confirmed dead and thousands of others quarantined on Thursday following an outbreak of Coronavirus in the country.
The death toll from an outbreak of coronavirus in Italy has jumped in the last 24 hours by 189 to 1,016, a rise of 23 percent, the Civil Protection Agency said on Thursday.
According to health officials under Civil Protection Agency, no fewer than 188 patients died within 24 hours, an average of seven persons per hours died in the country.
The total number of cases in Italy, the European country hardest hit by the virus, rose to 15,113 from a previous 12,462, an increase of 21.7 percent.
This came barely 24 hours after World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a pandemic, even after Italy tightened its strict quarantine and the US imposed a ban on flights to Europe.
More than 4,600 people have died and over 126,000 infected globally, according to the WHO. About 68,000 victims have recovered, according to Johns Hopkins University, which is tracking the virus.
Responding over the issue, Italy’s Foreign Minister, Luigi Di Maio, assured that the country will be the first in Europe to get over the emergency.
In an interview with newsmen, Di Maio, disclosed that measures introduced in the first area, where the virus broke out, have been intensified and were proving effective.
“Italy was the first nation in Europe to be affected so badly. But I hope it also means that Italy is the first one to leave the emergency behind,” Di Maio added.
Movement has been limited to urgent medical or professional need. All shops are now closed, except for pharmacies and those stocking food; companies have been ordered to shut non-essential departments; a wide range of venues – from theatres to schools and hairdressers to museums – are closed.
Di Maio said: “Our grandfathers were drafted to go to war; we’re being asked to stay at home. If a doctor and a nurse can work for 24 hours non-stop, we can give up leaving our own home. The huge majority of citizens are respecting the rules. Those who aren’t will face sanctions: either fines or criminal charges”.
