Only a few weeks ago, videos of overcrowded hospitals and people suspected to have COVID-19 lying on the streets due to unavailability of beds, emerged from Iran. Calling these videos terrifying would be an understatement. However, videos of a similar nature are making their way to social media from the worst-hit European nation —Italy.
A new video supposedly from an overcrowded hospital in Milan suggests that the situation in the country could be worse than imagined. A hospital struggling to accommodate coronavirus patients beyond its capacity is seen. The video was shared on Twitter by an user known as Ali Shali (@AlShali_Ali). The name of the hospital where the video was made remains unknown. IBTimes SG could not independently verify the authenticity of the video and is awaiting fact-checkers' views.
More patients than the facility can accommodate
In the one minute 46 seconds clip, the maker of the video enters what appears to be an emergency ward. As they enter a room on the left, rows of beds on spread across the room with COVID-19 patients come into view. While all the patients are seen receiving assistance from ventilators to breathe, the more severe cases are in 'bubble masks'.
After exiting the room, the video traces the length of the hallway where several beds line both sides of the long passage. Some patients, who appear to be in a faintly better condition are seen sitting on wheelchairs. When the maker of the video reaches an area at the end of the hallway, it appears that a makeshift arrangement has been created to house more patients. Finally, the video shows a room on the right where nearly all gasping patients can be seen breathing with the aid of 'bubble masks'.
Medical workers in Italy overburdened
Despite hospitals in the Mediterranean nation doing their best to treat the ever-increasing number of cases, hands are falling short. In a video shared by Al Jazeera, Daniela Confalonieri, a nurse from a hospital in Milan, highlighted the ground reality in the disease-torn wards of medical facilities. "We're working in a state of very high stress and tension," she said.
She also said that the level of the infection in the region of Lombardy was beyond control. Another problem she emphasized on is the understaffing brought on by infection among health care workers themselves. "The problem is that so 'many of our staff are at home as they are [testing] positive for COVID-19. So that leaves a handful of us to run everything," she stressed.
Italy one of the worst affected nation in the world
With over 4,000 deaths, the number of casualties in Italy has surpassed that of China's and is the highest in the world. Outside Asia, the country has the highest number of confirmed cases, which stands at above 47,000.
On Friday, the nation reported 627 deaths are reported in Italy — the largest daily jump since the outbreak in the country. The current global death toll stands at 11,402 and the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases stands at 275,469.
(Disclaimer: IBT Singapore could not verify the authenticity of the first video)
