Iran's death toll from coronavirus increases to 853 - official
Iran's death toll from coronavirus increases to 853 - officialIran's death toll from the new coronavirus has reached 853, with 129 new deaths in the past 24 hours, a health ministry official tweeted on Monday, adding that a total of 14,991 people have been infected across Iran.
They may be more preview than anomaly . But while some unique aspects have amplified the scale, doctors and health officials say other countries should regard Italy not as an outlier or an example of missteps, but as a harrowing preview of the hardships they might soon have at hand.
They may be more a preview than anomaly . The Washington Post 24/03/2020 Chico Harlan, Stefano Pitrelli, Claudia Cavaliere. ROME — Italy has become the flash point of the coronavirus pandemic, with a death toll at 6,077 and counting — the highest in the world.
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death distribution in italy
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A hand-painted banner reading "Stay Strong, everything will be alright!" hangs from a window in Bergamo, Italy.
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Ambulance operators sanitize each other after transporting coronavirus patients in Settimo Torinese, Italy.
Italy has become the flash point of the coronavirus pandemic, with a death toll at 6,077 and counting — the highest in the world. More than 2,000 Italians have been killed by the virus in the past four days alone.
Iran warns virus could kill 'millions' in Islamic Republic
Iran warns virus could kill 'millions' in Islamic RepublicA state television journalist who also is a medical doctor gave the warning only hours after hard-line Shiite faithful the previous night pushed their way into the courtyards of two major shrines that had just been closed over fears of the virus. Meanwhile, Iran’s supreme leader issued a religious ruling prohibiting “unnecessary” travel in the country.
Italy ’ s coronavirus deaths are staggering . They may be more a preview than anomaly .
In March, Italy was the first western country to implement a national lockdown, one that successfully reduced the spread of the virus and brought the A new study by Italy ’ s national statistics agency strongly suggests that many more Italians may have died from the coronavirus than the official
The staggering toll stands for now as a worst-case scenario for what happens when a country is caught unprepared. Italy’s high elderly population has exacerbated the problem.
But while some unique aspects have amplified the scale, doctors and health officials say other countries should regard Italy not as an outlier or an example of missteps, but as a harrowing preview for the hardships they might soon have at hand.
Pictures: Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak around the world
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A soldier guides passengers arriving from Turin and Milan by train at the Naples Central station as they wait to get their self-certification documents checked, in Italy on March 22.
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A man walks around a local park in Weehawken, New Jersey, U.S., on March 22.
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Passengers ride a subway after the city's emergency alert level for COVID-19 was downgraded, in Shanghai, China, on March 23.
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People sit on social distancing benches at a bus station in Thailand on March 22.
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Caution tape is put at Drew Nielsen Neighborhood Park after all city park playgrounds were closed in Everett, Washington, U.S., on March 22.
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People clean their hands with hand sanitizer before entering the area to view the Tokyo Olympic flame on display at Ofunato, Japan, on March 23.
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Workers spray disinfectant solution near a Simón Bolívar Statue in Caracas, Venezuela, on March 22.
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People walk on a pedestrian street near Zócalo, in Mexico City, Mexico, on March 22.
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People queue outside a benefits payment center in Sydney, Australia, on March 23.
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An empty avenue is seen after the government of Guatemala announced curfews in Guatemala City, on March 22.
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Due to flight reductions, Delta Air Lines 737 passenger planes are seen lined up on a runway at the Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia, U.S., on March 21.
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A man plays guitar and sings to his neighbors from his balcony two days after California’s Governor Gavin Newsom implemented a state wide "stay at home order" in Oakland, California, U.S., on March 21.
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A man walks past posters promoting the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, on March 23.
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Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike speaks during a press conference about COVID-19 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government office in Japan on March 23.
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Australian senators practice social distancing as they attend a scaled-down session in the Senate chamber at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on March 23.
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A sign on Interstate 5 advises people to stay home and limit travel, in Lakewood, Washington, U.S., on March 22.
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U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a COVID-19 task force briefing at the White House, in Washington, D.C., U.S, on March 22.
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Cuban doctors receive Cuban and Italian flags during a farewell ceremony before departing to Italy to assist, in Havana, Cuba, on March 21.
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A member of the Royal Malaysia Police checks a document on a vehicle entering the city during the control of movement in Kuala Lumpur on March 22.
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A general view of deserted roads is seen during a one-day Janata (civil) curfew near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, India, on March 22.
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Trajineras (boats) are parked in Xochimilco due to a lack of clients as Mexico's health ministry urged people to maintain a "healthy distance" to avoid infection, in Mexico City, Mexico, on March 21.
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DJ and event producer Nash Petrovic live streams a set from his roof in Brooklyn, New York, U.S., on March 21.
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A health worker wearing a facemask checks the body temperature of passengers leaving from the airport in Kathmandu, Nepal, on March 22.
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A bus drives on an empty street as people abide by the mandatory 12-day social isolation, to curb the spread of COVID-19, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on March 21.
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A man walks along a usually busy Fremont Street after casinos were ordered to shut down in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., on March 21.
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People shelter in their suburban homes in San Marcos, California, U.S., on March 21.
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Workers in protective suits walk on the street during the national quarantine in Caracas, Venezuela, on March 21.
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Journalists practice social distancing outside a meeting to wrap up work on coronavirus economic aid legislation in Washington, D.C., U.S., on March 21.
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A water cannon of the Bolivarian National Riot Police sprays disinfectant into the streets during the national quarantine in Caracas, Venezuela, on March 21.
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People line up to enter a supermarket, after Bolivia's interim government announced a countrywide mandatory quarantine for 14 days in La Paz, Bolivia, on March 21.
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A view of an empty Bondi Beach in Australia after authorities closed the popular spot on March 22.
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A woman walks through an empty street outside the Public Market, amid the COVID-19 outbreak, in Seattle, Washington, U.S., on March 20.
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People applaud during the inauguration of the intensive care tent of a newly operative field hospital, financed by U.S. disaster relief NGO Samaritan's Purse, for coronavirus patients, in Milan, Italy, on March 20.
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A customer wearing a face mask stands next to partially empty shelves of instant noodles at a supermarket, following COVID-19 outbreak, in Taipei, Taiwan, on March 21.
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Health workers wearing facemasks spray disinfectant at the corporation office in Chennai, India, on March 20.
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New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern holds up information on COVID-19 alert levels during a press conference in Wellington, New Zealand, on March 21.
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An elderly woman wearing a protective face mask is sprayed with a disinfectant bleach solution by a soldier at the entrance of a food market in Caracas, Venezuela, on March 20.
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Health services staff members protest outside the Txagorritxu Hospital demanding more protection equipment, after a Spanish nurse died the previous day from COVID-19, in Vitoria, Spain, on March 20.
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A man wearing a face mask directs the homeless for food donations, a day after California's Governor Gavin Newsom implemented a statewide "stay at home order" directing the state's nearly 40 million residents to stay in their homes for the foreseeable future in the face of the fast-spreading coronavirus disease, outside the Glide Memorial Methodist Church in San Francisco, California, U.S., on March 20.
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A sign urging commuters to avoid gatherings, reduce crowding and to wash hands is seen in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, New York, U.S., on March 19.
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A worker wearing protective gear disinfects a shopping district in Seoul, South Korea, on March 20.
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A traffic sign beside a motorway reads "Schleswig-Holstein is closed for tourists," amid the outbreak of COVID-19, in Hamburg, Germany, on March 20.
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A woman uses a hand sanitizer dispenser on the beach in Santa Monica, California, U.S., on March 19.
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A restaurant is seen empty amid the COVID-19 outbreak in São Paulo, Brazil, on March 19.
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A woman checks the temperature of a man at the entrance of American University, in Managua, Nicaragua, on March 19, after the country reported its first case of coronavirus.
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An airport security worker wearing protective gear looks at a screen showing international departures at the Shanghai Pudong International Airport in China on March 19.
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U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and Vice President Mike Pence attend a teleconference with governors to discuss partnerships to “prepare, mitigate and respond to COVID-19," at the headquarters of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) amid coronavirus fears, in Washington, D.C., U.S. on March 19.
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Canadian Border Services Agency officers stand in front of two closed checkpoints after it was announced that the border would close to "non-essential traffic" to combat the spread of novel coronavirus disease, at the U.S.-Canada border crossing at the Thousand Islands Bridge in Lansdowne, Canada, on March 19.
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City workers wearing protective suits disinfect a street in Manila, Philippines, on March 19.
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A woman carries out an exercise class for her neighbors from her balcony while they cannot leave their homes due to the coronavirus disease outbreak, in Rome, Italy, on March 18.
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The statue of Christ the Redeemer is lit up in the colors of the countries that are affected by the coronavirus outbreak, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on March 18.
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People walk along the Las Vegas Strip, devoid of the usual crowds after casinos were ordered to shut down, in Nevada, U.S., on March 18.
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A passenger on board a quiet Jubilee Line tube train, as commuters switch to working from home and people are urged to avoid social contact to prevent the spread of coronavirus, in London, England, on March 18.
Some health officials enforcing court orders against rogue COVID-19 patients
Three states have issued orders to force a COVID-19 patient to stay home.But what happens if an infected person defies their doctor or the government's orders?
But Prof Ricciardi added that Italy ’ s death rate may also appear high because of how doctors record fatalities. “The way in which we code deaths in our country is very generous in the sense that all the people who die in hospitals with the coronavirus are deemed to be dying of the coronavirus .
The death toll from the new coronavirus in Italy has risen to 197 after the largest daily increase in fatalities Florida reported two deaths on Friday, taking the US death toll to 16 with more than 200 You might be interested in watching: media captionVietnam put out this song to teach people how to
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A worker wearing a protective suit disinfects a customer's hands at the entrance of a public market in Caracas, Venezuela, on March 18.
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England's Prime Minister Boris Johnson addresses a news conference to give a daily update on the government's response to the outbreak of novel coronavirus COVID-19, inside 10 Downing Street in London, England, on March 18.
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A sign that reads "Items per customer limited to 3" is seen in a supermarket, as the government announced measures to alleviate the effect of the deadly virus, in Antiguo Cuscatlán, El Salvador, on March 18.
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A commuter wears a mask as a precaution whilst travelling on an underground metro train in the morning in central London, England, on March 18.
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A sign in the window of a Pret A Manger in London, England, tells customers that the seating area is closed and the store is takeaway service only due to the COVID-19 outbreak, on March 18.
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People, wearing face masks as a preventive measure, wait to cross a road in Bangkok, Thailand, on March 17.
Italy reports 475 new virus deaths, highest one-day toll of any nation
Italy reports 475 new virus deaths, highest one-day toll of any nationTotal deaths in Italy have reached 2,978, more than half of all the cases recorded outside China, while the number of infections stood at 35,713.
Italy ' s coronavirus death toll is more than double China's — this might be why. Demographics, social behavior and lower testing capacity are just some of the reasons why Italy and Spain have the highest number of deaths in the world from the coronavirus , health experts told CNBC.
Coronavirus tests in Italy also may not have been picking up many of the milder cases of the illness, Gordon said. When testing expands, milder cases are detected and the overall death rate goes down, she said. “We probably don’t know how many people have actually become infected,” Johnson said
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A man waits for his flight as he wears protective mask, at the airport in Málaga, Spain, on March 17.
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A Red Cross personnel sprays disinfectant at a department store in Jakarta, Indonesia, on March 17.
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New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks to media at a press conference following a COVID-19 financial response package announcement, in Wellington, New Zealand, on March 17.
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Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with G7 leaders during a teleconference while under self-isolation, due to his wife Sophie Grégoire Trudeau testing positive for COVID-19, in his home at Rideau Cottage in Ottawa, Canada, on March 16.
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Expatriates returning from Egypt, Syria and Lebanon arrive to be re-tested at a health ministry containment and screening zone for COVID-19, in Kuwait City, Kuwait, on March 16.
Kushner coronavirus team sparks confusion, plaudits inside White House response efforts
Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law has created his own coronavirus operation focused on setting up pilot testing sites with retailers, according to senior administration officials.Kushner, who joined the administration’s coronavirus efforts last week, is primarily focused on attempting to set up drive-through testing sites with the help of technology and retail executives, as well as experts in health-care delivery. The goal, officials familiar with the work said, is to have limited testing in a handful of cities running by Friday and to expand the project from there.
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Local workers clean the streets as a precautionary measure in Concepción, Chile, on March 16.
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A resident wearing a facemask walks past a graffiti of Buddha wearing a facemask, in Mumbai, India, on March 16.
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A worker in a protective suit sprays disinfectants near Al-Abbas shrine as a precaution against the outbreak of coronavirus, in the holy city of Karbala, Iraq, on March 15.
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A worker closes a restaurant early due to COVID-19 related restrictions in the French Quarter neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S., on March 15.
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A deliveryman rides an electric scooter in the empty Larios street during the partial lockdown as part of a 15-day state of emergency to combat the COVID-19 outbreak, in Malaga, Spain, on March 15.
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Police officers and troops are seen wearing face masks as they stand guard at a checkpoint in the outskirts of Metro Manila, Philippines, on March 15, as authorities began implementing a lockdown in Manila.
How South Korea Flattened the Coronavirus Curve
No matter how you look at the numbers, one country stands out from the rest: South Korea. In late February and early March, the number of new coronavirus infections in the country exploded from a few dozen, to a few hundred, to several thousand. In late February and early March, the number of new coronavirus infections in the country exploded from a few dozen, to a few hundred, to several thousand.
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People wearing face masks are seen near the Venezuelan-Colombia border after the Colombian government decided to close the Simón Bolívar International Bridge as a preventive measure, in San Antonio del Táchira, Venezuela, on March 14.
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A woman has her body temperature checked at an outpatient hospital in Moscow, Russia, on March 14.
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A student demonstrates how to wash hands during an awareness campaign about COVID-19 at a school in Chennai, India, on March 14.
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A girl leans out of a window to applaud in Milan, Italy, on March 14, as a sign of solidarity in response to calls circulating on social media for people to ''gather'' on their balconies at certain hours, either to play music or to give each other a round of applause.
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A pharmacist fixes a banner in Catalan, which reads "No masks, no alcohol, no clear hand gel" in a pharmacy in Barcelona, Spain, on March 14.
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A sign indicates that the National Gallery of Art has been closed to the public due to the coronavirus threat in Washington D.C., U.S., on March 14.
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A video displays a message from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that reads "Keep Calm and Wash Your Hands" on the Gallery Place Metro subway train platform in Washington, D.C., U.S., on March 13.
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Firefighters disinfect a street in western Tehran, Iran, on March 13.
Leading lung expert John F. Murray dies of same condition he spent years treating after being infected with coronavirus
John F. Murray was a key figure in defining and treating ARDS, a common killer among critically ill patients hospitalized with COVID-19. The new virus often targets the lungs and can cause respiratory problems including bronchitis and pneumonia. In a small number of severe cases, ARDS develops.Murray was instrumental in redefining the medical community's approach to the treatment of lung diseases and helped lead a surge of new doctors to the field, Philip Hopewell told USA TODAY.
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The Eiffel Tower is seen next to a board that reads: “In the context of the COVID-19 the Eiffel Tower closes today from 9pm for an indefinite period of time” in Paris, France, on March 13.
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People hoping to leave Manila before it is placed on lockdown flock at a bus station in Quezon city, Metro Manila, Philippines, on March 13.
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U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi delivers a statement on a coronavirus economic aid package ahead of a vote in the House of Representatives at Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., on March 13.
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A man takes a picture of a poster of the artist TVBoy depicting Uncle Sam calling on people to stay home on March 13, 2020 in Barcelona, Spain.
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Visitors take photos at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, U.S., on March 13. Disneyland is closing its doors for the rest of the month, shuttering one of the state's best-known attractions.
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Peru's Alianza Lima and Argentina's Racing Club play the Copa Libertadores match at the Presidente Perón Stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on March 12. The match was played in an empty, closed-door stadium as part of the government's measures to contain transmission of coronavirus.
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A misting machine sprays anti-septic solution to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at a public school in Marikina, Philippines, on March 13.
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A general view of the pit lane as the Australian Grand Prix was cancelled after a McLaren team member tested positive for coronavirus in Melbourne, Australia, on March 13.
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A nearly deserted view of the Red Fort complex as people avoid crowded places in New Delhi, India, on March 12.
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A sign that reads 'Closed for tours and visits in view of COVID-19 situation' hangs outside the Masjid Sultan in Singapore on March 13.
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People coming from Venezuela with protective face masks as a precautionary measure to avoid contracting the virus, show their documents on the border at Simon Bolivar International Bridge, in Cucuta, Colombia, on March 12.
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People line up to purchase goods at a downtown Trader Joe's as more cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Manhattan, in New York City, New York, U.S. on March 12.
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Fans leave the Golden 1 Center after an NBA game between New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings was postponed in Sacramento, California, U.S., on March 11.
Eiffel Tower says "Merci" to health workers fighting virus
Eiffel Tower says "Merci" to health workers fighting virusA mask-clad auxiliary police officer looks on in Wuhan, China, on March 29, a day after travel restrictions into the city were eased following two months of lockdown due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
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Customers shop inside a wholesale store as measures were put in due to coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns, in San Salvador, El Salvador, on March 11.
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Cleaning crew have their masks wiped down after they come out of Life Care Center of Kirkland in Washington, U.S., on March 11.
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Employees from a disinfection service company sanitize a subway car depot amid coronavirus outbreak in Seoul, South Korea, on March 11.
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A COVID-19 testing center at the Reactivating the Repat Hospital is seen on March 11 in Adelaide, Australia. Patients book ahead, then arrive and stay in their vehicle and wait to be swabbed by nurses before driving off. Test results are then sent to the patient's GP later.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping learns about the hospital's operations, treatment of patients, protection for medical workers and scientific research at the Huoshenshan Hospital in Wuhan, China, on March 10.
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Palestinian workers disinfect a public park in Gaza City, Gaza, on March 10.
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A medical official walks inside a plane while taking the body temperature of passengers, who arrived on a flight from New York City, New York, U.S., at the Boryspil International Airport outside Kiev, Ukraine, on March 10.
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Race goers use hand sanitiser installed at Cheltenham Racecourse in Cheltenham, England, on March 10.
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A passenger from the Grand Princess, a cruise ship carrying multiple people who have tested positive for COVID-19 washes his hands before boarding a chartered plane in Oakland, California, U.S., on March 10.
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Voters arrive with masks at Warren E. Bow Elementary School in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., on March 10.
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A health worker sprays disinfectant outside the Temple of Literature in Hanoi, Vietnam, on March 10.
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A woman wearing a protective face mask walks on an almost empty street in Yokohama, Japan, on March 10.
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Passengers of the cruise ship Grand Princess look from the balconies of their cabins as tests for COVID-19 are conducted and arrangements are made to offload passengers while the vessel docks at the Port of Oakland, California, U.S., on March 9.
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A man arriving into an office building gets his temperature measured by a private security guard in New Delhi, India, on March 9.
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South Korean army soldiers spray disinfectant on a street in Seoul, South Korea, on March 9.
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A mask-clad worker disinfects an area in New Taipei City, Taiwan, on March 9.
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A steward walks inside the Allianz Stadium before the Serie A match between Juventus F.C. and Inter Milan was being played behind closed doors, in Turin, Italy, on March 8.
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Passengers look out from balconies aboard the Grand Princess as it cruises a holding pattern about 25 miles off the coast of San Francisco, California, U.S. on March 8. At least 21 passengers on the ship have reportedly been affected with the coronavirus.
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People in face masks walk on St. Peter's Square as Pope Francis delivers his weekly Angelus prayer via video, due to coronavirus concerns, in Vatican City on March 8.
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Protesters are sprayed with disinfectant during a rally demanding women's right on the occasion of International Women's Day at Tahrir Square in Baghdad, Iraq, on March 8.
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A nurse shows her protective equipment at Villa Nueva hospital, where patients carrying the virus will be cared for, in Villa Nueva, Guatemala, on March 7.
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Visitors wearing protective masks line up in front of the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, on March 4.
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The U.S. White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah L. Birx attends a press briefing, as Vice President Mike Pence looks on, in the White House on March 2. As of March 3, six people had died in the state and at least 100 confirmed cases were reported across the country.
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A Brazilian scientists, who is among those that concluded coronavirus DNA sequencing, inserts a tube into a portable device connected to a computer that decodes virus DNA, at the Tropical Medicine Institute of the São Paulo University Medical School in Brazil on March 2.
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Rescue workers wearing masks and protective clothing check a man's temperature during a mock drill on handling suspected carriers of the coronavirus, in Peshawar, Pakistan, on March 2.
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Bruce Aylward of the World Health Organization (WHO) attends a news conference on the WHO-China Joint Mission on coronavirus in Beijing, on Feb. 24.
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U.N. Secretary General António Guterres speaks during an update on the situation at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, on Feb. 24.
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A reveler wears protective face mask at the Venice Carnival, the last days of which were called off after third death was reported in the country, in Italy on Feb. 23.
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Buddhist monks wearing protective face masks pray during a blessing ceremony for the people affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, at a temple in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Feb. 22.
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Members of Red Cross board a Colombian Air Force plane that will evacuate the citizens from coronavirus-hit China, at the CATAM military base in Bogota, Colombia, on Feb. 22.
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Indians who were airlifted from Wuhan wait to collect their release certificates before leaving the ITBP quarantine facility in New Delhi, India, on Feb. 17.
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Military medics stand in a formation after deplaning from a transport aircraft of the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) at the Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan, China, on Feb. 17.
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A teacher gives a lecture with the help of her smart phone during an online class at a middle school in Donghai, China, on Feb. 17.
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Pictures of Pakistani students studying in Wuhan, China, are displayed by their family members during a demonstration in Lahore, Pakistan, on Feb. 16. The family members are demanding the evacuation of their relatives.
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Members of an emergency team participate in a drill to prepare for the potential arrival of passengers infected with the coronavirus at the Viru Viru International Airport, in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, on Feb. 6.
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Airport security staff checks passengers using a thermal sensor screen at the Hong Kong International Airport on Feb. 6.
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Workers in protective gear are seen on Japan Coast Guard boats in Yokohama, on Feb. 5, bringing patients from the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship.
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Beds are set up at an exhibition center, which was converted into a hospital, in Wuhan on Feb. 4.
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Director-General of World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, takes part in a news conference after a meeting of the International Health Regulations (IHR) Emergency Committee to discuss about the outbreak of Pneumonia in China and other countries due to the 2019-nCoV, in Geneva, on Jan. 22.
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People are seen inside a store wearing face masks while shopping in a supermarket in Southampton, England, on March 18.
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Other countries could easily follow the pattern in Italy, with the number of casualties soaring weeks after an initial, drastic spike in cases.
The disaster in Italy does not stem from gross government negligence. Rather, analysts say it is partly a consequence of the weeks between the emergence of the outbreak and the government decision to absolutely lock down the population. And though many in Italy now argue their government waited too long, democracies across the West have been mulling the same decisions — and in some cases have acted less decisively.
Neither is the crisis in Italy a product of an especially feeble health system. Italy has fewer acute-care beds relative to its population than South Korea or Germany, but more than Britain or the United States. The death toll is being intensified by breakdowns at hospitals, but the strains are the same as could happen anywhere in the developed world that sees such a surge in coronavirus cases.
“This emergency is something so huge that all over the world, not just in Italy, you’re going to be forever unprepared,” said Massimo Galli, head of the infectious disease unit at the Sacco Hospital in Milan. He said governments everywhere “are taking this classic attitude to face the problem slowly.”
According to the most recent data from Italy’s national health service, those who have died had a median age of 80. But the virus isn’t hitting exclusively the oldest and most frail. Some 45 percent of the dead were between ages 60 and 79. And among the first 3,200 deaths reported in the country, 36 were in their 30s or 40s.
At nearly any age, men appear to be more susceptible — something reflected in data from other countries, too, and that in Italy could be linked to the higher male smoking rate.
Even if Italy’s death count is heightened by its elderly population, doctors say there is another reason other Western countries haven’t yet seen a comparable toll: The virus may have been spreading in Italy for longer, and it kills slowly.
The people with the most severe coronavirus cases can remain in intensive care beds for weeks before dying. That triggers a cascade of problems during a large-scale outbreak, as has been playing out now in northern Italy, where patients have been arriving at hospitals — struggling to breath — only to find that there are no beds or ventilators.
“The massive arrival of patients becomes impossible to manage,” said Mirco Nacoti, a doctor at Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital in Bergamo, where he said there are 500 patients in need of intensive care and just 100 ICU beds. “The health system is totally destroyed. Nobody has seen a similar situation. It’s a catastrophe.”
The death count has continued to soar even as the daily increase of total cases has slightly decelerated. Two weeks ago, on the same day that Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced a nationwide lockdown, 463 people had died of the virus.
Since then, the number of total cases in the country has grown sevenfold. But the death toll is 13 times greater — and has been devastating in a country one-twentieth the population of China.
According to the Italian government’s official data, a staggering 9.5 percent of the people to contract coronavirus have died. In Lombardy, the hard-hit northern region, the data indicates an even higher mortality rate — more than 13 percent. Such rates are far above those seen in other parts of the world, including Hubei province in China, and have led at least one Italian doctor to speculate that Italy could be seeing a more aggressive viral strain.
But most virologists here, citing scientific analysis of the strains, say the virus appears to be no different than the one that hit China.
The actual Italian death rate, they say, is probably far lower than what the government numbers suggest. The unofficial estimates assume the actual number of people infected with the virus — people who have not yet been tested — is massive. In other words, several hundred thousand people in Italy may be carrying the virus.
“It’s a huge iceberg,” said Fabrizio Pregliasco, a virologist at the University of Milan. “We are only looking at those who are sick.”
Though Italian leaders touted widespread testing at the beginning of the outbreak, the government has applied tight guidelines for who can be given swabs. Health officials have been testing those who have severe symptoms and are in need of obvious medical care. Government authorities have said mass-scale testing could put health-care workers at risk, and that the best method to slow the transmission rate is for people to simply stay at home.
But this strategy has a downside, because it fails to find asymptomatic or mild carriers, and increases the odds that the virus spreads undetected. Even amid a lockdown, such carriers could be taking busses, going to the grocery store, or infecting their families. Italy’s health ministry, in a statement provided to The Washington Post, said it is trying to broaden its testing, particularly of health workers and people who had contact with positive patients.
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The world is battling the COVID-19 outbreak which started in the city of Wuhan, China, and has spread around the globe killing thousands. The World Health Organization declared a global pandemic on March 11.
(Pictured) A woman walks her dog under a "don't panic" sign hanging at the entrance of a food market that was shut down in order to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, in Tel Aviv, Israel on March 23.
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Reflecting the current coronavirus crisis, covid-free cupcakes with icing masks make an appearance at the Cheesecake House and Restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand on March 23.
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President Donald Trump speaks at a press conference in the James Brady Briefing Room of the White House on March 23 in Washington D.C.
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People maintain a safe distance as they walk along Venice Breach on March 23 in Venice, California.
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Medical staff watch people waiting in line to get a coronavirus test outside the La Timone hospital in Marseille, France, on March 23.
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Police officers talk to a pedestrian as they try to enforce the recently imposed curfew in the streets of Bucharest, Romania on March 23.
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Vice President Mike Pence speaks as he leads a video teleconference with governors about the coronavirus, during a trip to FEMA on March 23 in Washington D.C.
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Empty streets in Tunis reflect the nationwide quarantine declared by the government to halt the spread of the novel coronavirus in Tunisia on March 23.
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Cleaning crew in protective gear spray public places with disinfectant to halt the spread of Covid-19 in the Icarai neighborhood in Niteroi, Brazil on March 23.
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Stores put up guidelines limiting purchase of high-demand items like toilet paper at Target in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
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Seating areas closed off at McDonalds, Eltham branch, during the last day of trading on March 23 in London, England.
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Members of Joint Task Force 2, composed of soldiers and airmen from the New York Army and Air National Guard, arrive to sanitize and disinfect the Young Israel of New Rochelle synagogue, in New Rochelle, New York, on March 23.
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Employees of the Vienna International Airport reload boxes with medical protective gear during the spread of coronavirus disease at the Vienna International Airport in Schwechat, Austria, on March 23.
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Filipino street dwellers rest in tents, set up as a makeshift evacuation centre, amid the coronavirus outbreak, in Manila, Philippines, on March 23.
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A woman wearing a face mask arrives at the South Municipal cemetery in Madrid, on March 23, to attend the burial of a man who died of the new coronavirus. The coronavirus death toll in Spain surged to 2,182 after 462 people died within 24 hours, the health ministry said.
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A drone photo shows nearly empty highways after precautions against coronavirus, including call for "stay home" and the curfew to people over 65, are taken in Izmir, Turkey on March 23.
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Alice and Joseph Wilkinson take part in a youtube P.E. class at their home in Manchester, as the spread of the coronavirus disease continues, in Manchester, Britain, on March 23.
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A Buddhist monk has his temperature checked after a chant session in a pagoda in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Mar. 23.
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A family watches a movie from their car at a drive-in theater as South Koreans take measures to protect themselves against the spread of coronavirus on March 23, in Seoul, South Korea.
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Workers assemble a temporary field hospital at the Pacaembu Stadium in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on March 23.
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People travel in a crowded bus to return to their cities and villages before the start of the lockdown by West Bengal state government to limit the spreading of coronavirus disease, in Kolkata, India on March 23.
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Times Square stands mostly empty as as much of the city is void of cars and pedestrians over fears of spreading the coronavirus on March 22 in New York City.
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Prime Minister Scott Morrison covers his mouth during Question Time in the House of Representatives at Parliament House on March 23, in Canberra, Australia. Parliament is sitting as scheduled but with restrictions in place to limit the number of people in chamber to observe social distancing rules in place due to COVID-19. Morrison announced late on Sunday that bars, clubs, cinemas, gyms and restaurants, along with other venues, would be closed.
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Medical staff walk in front of a COVID-19 test center set up in a tent outside a doctor's office in Berlin on March 23.
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The relative of an inmate cries outside La Modelo jail in Bogota, Colombia on March 22. Violence broke out in the prison out of inmates' fears that authorities are not doing enough to prevent coronavirus inside overcrowded prisons.
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People wearing protective face masks, sit on social-distancing benches at a bus station in Thailand on March 22.
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French soldiers set up a military field hospital in eastern France on March 22 amid a strict lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19.
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People look on as stalls of a market are cleared away ahead of disinfection measures in Dakar, Senegal on March 22.
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Residents clap and bang utensils from their balconies March 22 to cheer for emergency personnel and sanitation workers who are on the frontlines in the fight against coronavirus in Mumbai, India.
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Pastor Billy Jones leads a drive-in church service to churchgoers in their cars in the car park of Dunseverick Baptist Church following government advice to avoid all non-essential contact on March 22 in Bushmills, Northern Ireland.
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The MSC Fantasia cruise ship, coming from Brazil with 1,338 passengers, of which 27 are Portuguese citizens, is docked in the Cruise Terminal from the Miradouro das Portas do Sol on March 22 in Lisbon, Portugal. Portuguese passengers were scheduled to disembark and the others will get off the ship after being screened.
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Rev. Micah Muhlen, OFM, prays prior to a modest and shortened service at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Basilica on March 22 in Phoenix, Arizona.
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A yard sign shows support for nurses and doctors on March 22 in Nolensville, Tenn. Several residents in the neighborhood put up signs thanking medical personnel for their work during the coronavirus outbreak.
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People walk around Washington Square Park with markings on the ground to maintain social distance on March 22 in New York City.
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Church services were recorded for live streaming March 22 on YouTube at St Peter’s Church in St Albans, Britain.
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Hungarian musician Adam Moser plays for neighbors from his balcony March 22 to cheer up people in lockdown in Budapest.
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A laboratory employee works on the production of the hydroalcoholic solution according to WHO recommendations for hygienic hand disinfection March 22 in Paris.
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People form a line to enter a Trader Joe's supermarket maintaining a social distance in the queue on March 22 in Brooklyn, New York.
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Health workers spray disinfectant on a motorist March 22 in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus outbreak in Surabaya, Indonesia.
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A view of deserted the Bandra-Worli sea link over the Arabian Sea in Mumbai, India on March 22. India is observing a 14-hour "people's curfew" called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in order to stem the rising coronavirus caseload in the country of 1.3 billion.
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Aircraft sit parked at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany on March 22. Due to the coronavirus the aviation industry expects heavy losses.
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Red tape securing the beach at an empty Bondi beach after authorities banned people from gathering on it on March 22 in Sydney, Australia.
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A health worker wearing a face mask amid concerns over the spread of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus, checks the body temperature of passengers leaving from the airport in Kathmandu, Nepal on March 22.
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Cuban doctors take part in a farewell ceremony before departing to Italy to assist, amid concerns about the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Havana, Cuba on March 21.
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An empty street near the Pantheon square in Paris, France on March 21.
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Brooklyn resident Arthur Adamczyk shares hand sanitizer with his roommate, DJ and event producer Nash Petrovic during a live streamed set from their roof during the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Brooklyn, New York, on March 21.
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Catholic priest Reginaldo Manzotti prays before a mass with photos of the faithful over the church's pews at the Santuario de Nossa Senhora de Guadalupe church in Curitiba, Brazil, on March 21.
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Local community workers prepare to use a drone loaded with disinfectant to release on streets during the coronavirus outbreak in Talcahuano, Chile, on March 21.
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Aerial view of empty roads in Bogota, Colombia, on March 21. Colombian authorities announced a mandatory isolation simulation for the extended weekend, from March 21 to 23, as a preventive measure against the spread of the new coronavirus.
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DJ Francesco Cellini records people as he plays for them from the rooftop terrace of his apartment building, as Italians remain under lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus in Monteverde district, Rome, Italy, on March 21.
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Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Anthony Fauci speaks during a news briefing on the administration's response to the coronavirus outbreak at the White House in Washington, on March 21.
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Slideshow by photo services“We are evaluating all of the technological and epidemiological tools to further improve this tracking,” the ministry said.
Other countries, notably South Korea, have succeeded in controlling the virus by rigorously testing those with suspected exposure. Germany has also tested more liberally than most other European countries, a partial explanation for its statistically low death rate, along with the fact that for the first outbreaks in that country have disproportionately hit the young. In Germany, experts have said they expect the death rate to eventually rise — becoming more in line with Italy’s.
Another major factor in Italy’s enormous death toll is the struggle of hospitals to keep up. In a paper released several days ago, a team of doctors at the main public hospital in Bergamo described how their own facility was buckling under the pressure. And they said other facilities in the area were faring even worse — short on ventilators, oxygen and protective equipment.
“Patients lay on floor mattresses,” they wrote.
Health officials from Madrid to New York City are now bracing for similar problems. And though social distancing is aimed at reducing the rate that the virus spreads, allowing hospitals to more adequately cope, in Italy the rigid measures came too late, experts say.
At the beginning of the outbreak, the country put 11 small towns under lockdown. But even then, there were signs that many cases were occurring elsewhere. By early March, regional authorities were signaling alarm about two new areas — this time, in Bergamo province. The areas happened to be heavily industrialized. Business groups raised opposition. The government took no action.
“Of course, had the hard line been drawn immediately, we would’ve likely seen results,” said Claudio Cancelli, the mayor Nembro, one of the hotspot towns. “We ultimately were all a bit tardy in understanding the gravity of what was happening.”
By the time the government took action — locking down all of Lombardy on March 9, and all of the country two days later — the explosion had already been set in motion.
Bergamo has become the flashing-red hotspot in Italy, responsible for more deaths than any other place in Italy. In Nembro alone, with a population of 11,500, some 120 people have died since the beginning of March — as many deaths as the town normally sees in one year.
“We’re still paying the consequences of what wasn’t done [more than] two weeks ago,” said Cancelli, who also tested positive for the virus and had a fever for several days.
Nacoti, one of the doctors, said that at the hospital in Bergamo, 30 percent of the health workers had also contracted the virus. He said the death toll in the area could be even higher than what is known, because some elderly people are likely dying at home, never arriving at the hospital.
“I’m afraid about my population. I’m afraid because Bergamo is destroyed,” he said. “I know that when this storm will stop, we’ll see a disaster, and it will be difficult to restart.”
Full coverage: Read more on coronavirus from Microsoft News
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More info: Read the latest advice on COVID-19 from the Australian Government
Eiffel Tower says "Merci" to health workers fighting virus .
Eiffel Tower says "Merci" to health workers fighting virusA mask-clad auxiliary police officer looks on in Wuhan, China, on March 29, a day after travel restrictions into the city were eased following two months of lockdown due to the COVID-19 outbreak.