Italy mourns COVID-19 victims, marks a minute of silence and flew flags at half mast

Italy on March 31, reportedly marked a minute of silence and flew flags at half-mast in memory of those who passed away from coronavirus pandemic. ceremony is marked every year mourning deaths from single major disasters since WWII. This year, it was dedicated in remembrance of 11,591 fatalities that European nation of over 60 million recorded since deadly COVID-19 disease hit region, according to media reports. Italy first detected pathogen in late February in Milan. 

Italy’s mayor, Virginia Raggi, was quoted saying by a French media outlet after she observed ceremonial silence, that coronavirus was an injury that “hurt” entire country. She added that people were united to get through this crisis while speaking at ceremony outside Rome’s City hall.

Vatican City in Rome, participated by swirling yellow and white flags in solidarity with victims at half-mast, according to reports. Mayor Raggi told press, speaking in context to lockdown, that government has revised its decision. lockdown will be extended until mid-April. She said that despite  repercussions of shutdown on Italy’s ecomy, third-largest in European Union until last year, restrictions were a mandate to halt mounting health crisis. She stressed, measures will, however, send country in a grave recession that it hasn't witnessed in decades.

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Total cases at 101,739

Head of infectious diseases department at Milan's Luigi Sacco Hospital, Massimo Galli, said in an address on national radio that re was hope as Italy has mand to test and isolate most positive cases. pandemic might be weakening, he was quoted as saying. Italy has detected over 101,739 cases as of March 31, with a single day highest record of 969 in world on March 28, after which, rate of infection has seen a fall, confirmed media reports. 

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