Rome – The Italian government threatened
on Wednesday to ban all outdoor exercise as the coronavirus
death toll soared to 2 978 and frustration grew over the number
of people defying a nationwide lockdown order.
Italy was the first Western country to impose severe
restrictions on movement to contain the illness. But a week
after the curbs were imposed, the disease is still spreading and
hospitals in the north are at breaking point.
The northern region of Lombardy, on the frontline of the
battle against the respiratory pandemic, asked recently retired
health workers on Wednesday to return to work and help
colleagues overwhelmed by the crisis.
"I make a heartfelt appeal to all the doctors, nurses and
medical personnel who have retired in the last two years...to
help us in this emergency," regional Governor Attilio Fontana
told a news conference.
The national death toll surged by 475 over the past 24
hours, the largest increase in numerical terms since the
outbreak first came to light on February 21. The total number of
confirmed cases grew by 4 207 to 35 713.
"I believe that in the coming hours we will have to consider
the possibility of a complete ban on outdoor activities," Sports
Minister Vincenzo Spadafora told state broadcaster RAI.
The government lockdown banned all non-essential travel, but
allowed people to take solitary daily exercise, if needed.
Looking to enforce the restrictions, police have stopped more
than one million people over the past week and booked almost
43 000 for violating the rules, the interior ministry said.
"If the call to stay at home is not heeded, we will be
forced to impose an absolute ban," he said.
The real number of deaths could be much higher than the
official figure, after it emerged that fatalities in nursing
homes - where dozens of patients are dying each day - are not
being registered as coronavirus-related because none of the sick
are being tested.
"There are significant numbers of people who have died but
whose death hasn't been attributed to the coronavirus
because... they weren't swabbed," said Giorgio Gori, mayor of the
town of Bergamo, one of the worst-hit areas.
While many Italian cities have been largely empty over the
past week, photographs have circulated on social media of public
transport filling up in the financial capital Milan, suggesting
that some people are going back to work.
"Every time you leave your home, you are putting yourself
and others at risk," said Fontana.
Lombardy, like many regions, is rushing to build makeshift
hospitals to add badly needed intensive-care units.
However, the
move is being complicated by the fact that doctors, nurses and
hospital porters are themselves falling sick. Some have died.
The Gimbe Foundation research group, using data supplied by
the national health authority, said that between March 11-17,
some 2 529 health workers had been diagnosed with coronavirus –
8.3% of the national total of coronavirus cases.
Officials warned that if the incidence of new cases did not
slow in the coming days, they might extend the lockdown already
in place, both in terms of the types of restrictions and how
long they will continue.
In successive decrees earlier this month, the government
ordered restaurants, bars and most shops to close until March
25. In addition, it shut schools and universities and told
everyone to stay home unless absolutely essential until April 3.
Since the restrictions were most recently ramped up on March
12, the number of deaths has more than tripled.
"I do not know if the measures will be extended beyond April
3. We will make a decision based on the numbers and events.
"I
cannot rule it out. We will see in the coming days," said
Infrastructure Minister Paola De Micheli.