Nearly a quarter of Italy's population over the age of 65, who are most likely to experience complications and deaths from nCoV infection, has led to an increase in the number of deaths.

Covid-19 has so far killed 107 people in Italy, mostly between the ages of 63 and 95 and all had serious underlying illnesses before. With 23% of the population over 65, Italy is the second oldest country in the world after Japan.

"Italy is a nation of the elderly. This country also has a lot of old people with preexisting illnesses. I think that's why Italy has more serious cases of nCoV, while most other infections, Especially in young people and children, there are mild symptoms and less dangerous complications, "said Professor Massimo Galli, head of the department of infectious diseases at Sacco Hospital in Milan.

"The people of my country have the highest life expectancy in the world. But unfortunately, in this situation, the elderly become more at risk," he added.

Italy has more than 3,000 people infected with nCoV. Medical staff conducted a total of more than 25,900 virus tests, a modest number compared to other European countries. Among the testers was Pope Francis, 83, who was forced to cancel major events this week because of a cold, but had negative results for nCoV, Il Messaggero reported on March 3.

More than 1,500 cases have been recorded in Lombardy, northern Italy, where 11 towns have been frozen for more than a week. The virus has appeared in more than half of Italy's 20 regions, including Tuscany, Puglia, Silicy and more recently Sardinia.

Officials said the majority of people who were positive for nCoV elsewhere traveled to Lombardy or northern Italy a few weeks before the outbreak. Of the cases, more than 1,000 people are currently treated in hospitals, of which 229 are in serious condition, and more than 1,200 others have treated themselves at home. The number of people cured in Italy is now more than 270.

Covid-19 still broke out in Italy, although it was one of the first countries to "close" to Wuhan residents and suspend the entire flight to China.

"Some countries criticize us for taking drastic measures. But even being proactive in implementing them doesn't seem to be enough. What is certain is that we have no way of predicting an outbreak. in the so-called epidemic center or discovering it before someone is infected, "Galli said.

Galli contends that many people from countries that are not "closed" to China may come to Italy and add that outbreaks in other European countries may not have originated from this country.

"Let us remember the 'super-infectious' case of the British national, who used to go to Singapore and then visit friends in France and infect nCoV with them. If the same thing happens in other parts of Europe , that means we will have many other translations, "Galli said.

An Italian doctor, who recovered at home after being exposed to nCoV, said she had only mild symptoms. She lives with her parents and younger brother but they are all negative to the virus. She will be retested on March 6 after two weeks of isolation.

"In most cases, people will recover on their own. The problem is that we have no mechanism to protect those most at risk: the elderly and those with serious underlying medical conditions. But we need to The objective view that the increase in new infections does not mean that they are all serious cases, "she said.