Italian doctors denounce local govt over coronavirus crisis
The clinical heads of 11 provincial health authorities in Lombardy have signed a letter suggesting failures within the local health system have contributed to the high death rate
Doctors working in Italy’s coronavirus hotspot have criticised local officials for their handling of the crisis and said the mistakes they made should be a lesson for everyone.
More than 16,500 people have died from coronavirus in Italy, the biggest death count in the world, with Lombardy accounting for 55% of the tally.
The region also accounts for 39% of the country’s 132,547 confirmed cases.
The particularly large death toll in Lombardy, the wealthiest region in Italy, has raised eyebrows, with local officials suggesting that both the high urban density and considerable elderly population might have played a part.
