Italy's Coronavirus Death Toll Rises Thrice Than China And Churches Occupied With Coffins

The death toll from a coronavirus outbreak in Italy has risen by 889, the Civil Defense Agency said on Saturday, the second highest average count since the epidemic broke out on Feb.

21.

In Italy, total fatalities have reached 10,023, by far the highest in any country in the world.

The highest single toll in Italy was recorded Friday, when 919 people died. According to that, on Thursday, there were 712 deaths, on Wednesday 683, on Tuesday 743 and on Monday 602.

The total number of reported cases in Italy soared on Saturday to 92,472 from a previous 86,498.

Italy has the second-highest number of incidents, after the USA. On Friday, it outpaced China’s count.

Today, the Italian Army was called out of Bergamo, Northern Italy, to ferry coffins while the morgue and crematorium fail to deal with the pandemic surge in casualties.

Distressing images from Bergamo show police wearing protective hazmat suits as they work in churches and halls to contain the remains.

The crux of the argument is about the extent to which the EU - facing what Italy views as an existential threat - should abandon its policy of keeping within tight budget constraints — Source: EPA

Italy’s prime minister today cautioned that if it fails to respond aggressively to coronavirus, the European Union may ‘lose its meaning’-after the world has seen its biggest increase in deaths.

Giuseppe Conte today warned the European Union could — Source: EPA

Conte expressed his complaints after the 27 EU members were unable to decide on an implementation plan following a major argumentative six-hour video conference Thursday, and offered two more weeks to their finance ministers to develop a policy that could appease Italy and Spain.

Both the nations are struck worst by the pandemic blocked the announcement on Thursday because it wasn’t going far enough.

Carabinieri officers wearing protective suits have been pictured taking coffins out of Ponte San Pietro, near Bergamo, Northern Italy after the region — Source: Getty Images

The gist of the debate is about the degree to which the EU will compromise its strategy of staying under strict budget limits-faced with what Italy sees as an existential threat.

Rome and Madrid urge EU to consider selling ‘corona bonds’-a form of shared debt that states offer to investors to collect capital to meet personal economic needs.

Italy set a new global record by registering more than 900 deaths on Friday - and 1,600 in just two days — Source: EPA

However, spendthrift countries like Germany and the Netherlands are taking a hard look at the shared debt concept.

It is expected that the entire eurozone will slide right into a recession in the months ahead.

Conte aired his grievances after the 27 EU leaders could not agree on an action plan during an argumentative six-hour video conference Thursday (pictured while taking part in the conference) — Source: AFP

But after being the first European country to shut down almost all its businesses on March 12, Italy faces the threat of a close-economic collapse.