Coronavirus: Italy’s dead overwhelm morgues as toll tops 8,000

Unable to cope, northern city of Bergamo sending bodies to nearby towns for cremation

Officials are concerned about crisis spilling over into less-developed south, with one warning of ‘dramatic explosion’ of infections

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Some 35 coffins are stored in a warehouse in Ponte San Pietro, near Bergamo, Lombardy, on Thursday, before being transported elsewhere to be cremated. Photo: AFP

Published: 6:24am, 27 Mar 2020Updated: 6:24am, 27 Mar 2020

An overwhelmed Italian city at the heart of the coronavirus pandemic on Thursday sent more of its dead to nearby towns for cremation as the country’s world-leading toll topped 8,000.

Officials in Rome reported 662 new deaths and 6,153 infections – largely in line with the figures reported throughout the week. The number of cases increased by 4,492, a slight uptick after four consecutive days in which new cases had decreased. Overall infections, including deaths and recoveries, have risen to 80,539.

Italians appear to be coming to terms with the realisation that two weeks of life under lockdown have not made the disease go away.

“Until we see this damn rate drop, we will have to continue making very hard sacrifices,” deputy civil protection service chief Agostino Miozzo said in reference to the ever-tightening containment measures.

Italy’s coronavirus death toll now stands at 8,165 – more than that of second-placed Spain and China, where the virus emerged in December, combined.