Soldiers called in to enforce Coronavirus lockdown in Italy

The military was called in on Friday in Italy in order to enforce the lockdown in the country. Friday saw another record jump in deaths, 627 in one day, which is the highest death toll in any country since the outbreak began. 

Despite devastating scenes in overcrowded hospitals in the north of the country appearing in the media, people are still bending lockdown rules to go jogging or walking. Around 50,000 people have been charged with flaunting quarantine rules. 

Citizens are only permitted to leave their houses for work, necessary shopping, or health and emergency reasons. Although the rules appear clear, people have been leaving the house for non-essential reasons, such as one man who went for plastic surgery on his nose despite displaying Coronavirus symptoms. He later tested positive for Covid-19 and is now facing prosecution. 

Soldiers have now been drafted in to help in the Lombardy region, the centre of the outbreak, in order to enforce the ‘stay at home’ rules. 

Italian authorities are also now considering an extension of the lockdown period as the country’s cases continue to rise.  

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Rebecca Ann Hughes

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