Residents Clash And The Army Is Called Into Southern Italian Town Over Covid-19 Outbreak

Soldiers have arrived in the southern Italian town of Mondragone near Naples, Italy after the authorities announced an outbreak of Covid-19 at an apartment block illegally occupied by migrant workers, causing angry clashes among residents.

THE announcement was made on Thursday that over 40 people living in an abandoned apartment complex, mainly Bulgarian fruit pickers working in the nearby fields, had tested positive for the virus and that if the outbreak worsened, the town might face quarantine.

The buildings occupied by the migrant workers have been sealed off with soldiers and police surrounding the area. However, with the residents of the complex complaining they are not being informed of what is happening, tensions have risen and some have taken to the streets of Mondragone protesting what they view as racial discrimination leading to angry confrontations with Italian residents.

Campania, the region surrounding the town, had not been severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic, as the areas hardest hit were the regions of the north, making up around 70% of all confirmed cases.

The governor of Campania, Vincenzo De Luca, announced that approximately 3,000 residents will be tested for the virus.