More than 60 doctors have died in Italy's coronavirus outbreak
Italy's coronavirus outbreak is taking a heavy toll on health workers, with more than 60 doctors confirmed to have died since it began.
A total of 61 doctors have died during the Covid-19 pandemic in Italy, says the national federation of doctors FNOMCeO, including at least 22 in the past week.
According to its list most of the victims worked in and around Lombardy, the region at the centre of the Italian outbreak, but doctors have also died further south in Le Marche, Campania, Sicily and Puglia.
In total 8,358 healthcare workers have contracted the new coronavirus in Italy, according to the latest count by the Italian Higher Health Institute (ISS).
READ ALSO: Inside Rome's hospitals as they battle the coronavirus
Photo: Alberto Pizzoli/AFP
Around 4,000 of those infected are nurses, said the head of nurses' federation FNOPI, Barbara Mangiacavalli.
Despite the dangers nearly 9,500 nurses volunteered to join a national coronavirus task force to help at hospitals in the worst-affected regions, she said on Sunday.
Italy's Civil Protection department sought 500 nurses as emergency reinforcements, but within 48 hours had received 9,448 applications.
Last week the department received nearly 8,000 applications from doctors volunteering for a similar task force, after asking for 300.
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A total of 61 doctors have died during the Covid-19 pandemic in Italy, says the national federation of doctors FNOMCeO, including at least 22 in the past week.
According to its list most of the victims worked in and around Lombardy, the region at the centre of the Italian outbreak, but doctors have also died further south in Le Marche, Campania, Sicily and Puglia.
In total 8,358 healthcare workers have contracted the new coronavirus in Italy, according to the latest count by the Italian Higher Health Institute (ISS).
READ ALSO: Inside Rome's hospitals as they battle the coronavirus
Photo: Alberto Pizzoli/AFP
Around 4,000 of those infected are nurses, said the head of nurses' federation FNOPI, Barbara Mangiacavalli.
Despite the dangers nearly 9,500 nurses volunteered to join a national coronavirus task force to help at hospitals in the worst-affected regions, she said on Sunday.
Italy's Civil Protection department sought 500 nurses as emergency reinforcements, but within 48 hours had received 9,448 applications.
Last week the department received nearly 8,000 applications from doctors volunteering for a similar task force, after asking for 300.
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