Store clerk's death in Italy emphasises new front line to fight COVID-19

The death of Mariagrazia Casanova in the city of Brescia, in Italy’s hard-hit north, was a new and frightening measure of the coronavirus’s deepening penetration into Italian society. As per the reports, the 49-year-old Casanova was a supermarket clerk. The coronavirus in Italy has gripped the entire nation and government has put an effective lockdown to contain the spread of the deadly virus. As per reports, Casanova's death raised awareness of how essential those unsung jobs are and called attention to the exceptional dangers that grocery clerks, delivery people, fishmongers, bakers and butchers, among others, must now take to continue to provide not just for themselves and their families but also for their neighbours. 

READ: Italy: New Coronavirus Cases Drop To Lowest Amid Crisis

Nationwide lockdown

Italy has shuttered its schools, its restaurants and many of its factories to curb the spread of the deadly pandemic. As health care workers fight in the trenches against the virus, supermarket lines have become another front line. Italy on March 24 reportedly confirmed that its coronavirus infections rates have been slowing down. As per reports, Italy's 743 new deaths broke two days of successive declines that had taken the number down to 601 on Monday. It set a world record of 793 fatalities on Saturday. According to the reports, the officials registered just eight per cent rise on Tuesday which is the lowest level since Italy registered its first death on February 21.

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Decline in new cases

The decline in the new cases reveals that the complete lockdown is effectively working. As per international media reports, Prime Minister Giuseppe has increased the fine amounts for those who are found out on the streets without a legitimate reason from the current 206 euros to 400-3,000 euros. Italy has reported total confirmed cases of 69,176  while its death toll stands at 6,820 while 8,326 patients have been recovered so far. More than 60 per cent of the latest deaths reportedly occurred in the northern region of Lombardy, where the hospitals are flooded with patients that have left intensive care beds hard to find and respirators in dire supply. 

READ: At End Of 2-week Lockdown, Italy's New COVID-19 Infections Drop To Lowest Point In Crisis

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(Image Credit: AP)