These images show the city cemetery in Italy’s COVID epicentre emptied of virus victims coffins for the first time in 40 days after it was previously packed full of caskets.
Giorgio Gori, the Mayor of the city of Bergamo in northern Italy’s Lombardy region, shared a photo of the cemetery’s church completely empty as a sign of hope for the city.
Gori said that the church has been used to stories the coffins of coronavirus patients for more than 40 days but it is now empty for the first time since it began being used.
He said: “The news I can give you today is finally positive, in these weeks there has been a decrease in the infections and deaths (from coronavirus). The image of the church from the cemetery that was occupied by the coffins of many of our neighbours gives us the idea that we have gone through the most difficult phase and we can keep on having hope”.
The mayor said that the situation “has almost gone back to normality” and “four hotels are still hosting patients” who had been discharged from hospitals.
He added: “We said that we could beat the virus and it seems it is happening.”
Gomi said that from 1st March until Easter the city suffered over 600 deaths but thanked citizens for staying indoors.
Italy’s quarantine regulations are expected to be eased on 4th May, with citizens possibly being allowed to do exercise outdoors.
The mayor said they did not publish photos of the church filled with coffins in respect for the grieving families of the victims.
According to the latest figures from the Johns Hopkins University, Italy has registered 181,228 cases of COVID-19 and 24,114 deaths.
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Story By: Ana Lacasa, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash
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