Fears for Italy's homeless over lockdown measures

Italy's thousands of homeless are desperate as strict lockdown measures means less help from the public.

Now even more vulnerable, they can no longer slip into a coffee bar, ask for money from a passerby, or keep warm in a shopping centre.

Instead they have curled up in spots around the city waiting for the coronavirus crisis to pass.

In Rome, the Red Cross makes nightly tours of the city, handing out a hot serving of pasta and some tea.

Volunteers also urge the homeless to let them measure their fever.

Some agree.

It is a similar situation in Milan, volunteers from the ARCA foundation make their way around the city finding many homeless deep beneath piles of blankets at the train station.

At least 80,539 people in the country have been infected with the coronavirus according to government figures with 8165 deaths.

The coronavirus has caused a global pandemic that has sickened at least half a million people killed over 22,000 worldwide, crippled economies and forced restrictions on the movement of millions of people in an effort to stop the virus from spreading further and overwhelming health care systems.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.