Coronavirus: Italian death toll set to overtake China

A medical worker wearing a protective face mask stands at a pre-triage center outside the emergency room in Molinette hospital in Turin. Photo / Federico Bernini, Bloomberg

In Italy, coronavirus deaths will surpass China's total in just one more day.

On Wednesday, Italy saw a record new high in the numbers of infections and deaths reported, adding more than 4200 new cases for a total of 35,713 infections. Another 475 people died, bringing Italy's death toll to 2978.

By Tuesday, Italy had already recorded 31,506 positive cases and 2503 deaths, more than anywhere outside China.

Ten per cent of all Italy's infected require ICU admission, primarily for respiratory help.

Nearly all admitted patients have interstitial pneumonia, a disease in which the lace-like tissue of the lungs' alveoli become inflamed, leading to progressive respiratory failure, according to Giovanna Perone, director of Brescia's emergency services.

People walk by a billboard reading in Italian 'Coronavirus. Let's stop it together', in Milan'. AP Photo / Claudio Furlan, LaPresse

"In the last few days, the number of people arriving here on their own and reporting such symptoms has increased," Perone said outside the civil protection tents where walk-in patients are tested and then sent to the hospital's converted laundry room to await the results.

The onslaught of infections has completely overwhelmed the public health system in Italy's prosperous north, prompting regional officials to beg retired doctors to come back to work and to accelerate graduation dates for nurses and specialists.

A commuter, wearing a protective face mask, waits on the platform for a Milan Metro subway train. Photo / Alberto Bernasconi, Bloomberg

"I ask you from my heart, we need your competency, your experience, your efficiency," said Giulio Gallera, Lombardy's chief healthcare official. "Give us a hand."

The €25 billion aid package the Italian government approved on Monday, aimed at bolstering both the health care system and helping businesses, workers and families weather the economic hit, also contains provisions to hire 10,000 more medical personnel.

- AP