In extremely saddening scenes emerging out of Europe’s worst hit nation by the Covid-19 outbreak, it has been reported by The Times, Newsweek, and Sky News that the Italian military has now been called upon to transport bodies of dead Covid-19 patients. The incident was was said to have happened in the town of Bergamo, Lombardy, a region that recorded some of the highest numbers of Covid-19 patients in Italy.
Coffins of deceased patients were said to have been transported by a fleet of military trucks after local mortuaries within the town struggled to cope with the rising death toll, with an estimated 93 people already dead as a result from the virus and 4,305 people infected in the town as of Wednesday (18th March 2020), according to The Guardian.
“The crematorium of Bergamo, working at full capacity, 24 hours a day, can cremate 25 dead”, said a spokesperson for the local authority.
An army spokesperson has confirmed that 15 trucks and over 50 military personnel were sent to the besieged town to aid in the transportation of bodies. The Guardian also reported that over 65 coffins were transported out of Bergamo, in scenes that have been described by locals as being ‘one of the saddest photos in the history of our country’.
According to The Guardian, the current death toll from Covid-19 in Italy now stands at 3,405 people, overtaking China.
We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the deceased during such a difficult time.
Also read: Italy Sanctions Emergency Lockdowns After Coronavirus Cases Sharply Increase To 229 In Just 3 Days
