Corona in Italy: Conte government pumps hundreds of billions into the economy - Mafia distributes food in the south

Corona crisis: Italy has extended its measures to contain the coronavirus pandemic. All developments here in the news ticker.

• Italy has been severely affected by the coronavirus * for weeks.
• The number of infections and fatalities increases every day - despite extensive measures.
• Now the EU country has extended the curfew .
• Here you will find our guide to corona reporting as well as basic facts * about the corona virus. You can also find current case numbers in Germany as a map.

Update, 10:00 p.m .: 80,000 - that is the number of people worldwide who have died from an infection with the insidious corona virus, according to Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore).

Most people infected with Covid-19 have thus far died in Italy (around 17,000) and Spain (around 13,900). In both countries, approximately 27 people per 100,000 inhabitants were killed by the virus. In Germany, however, there were around 2.2 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants.

Corona crisis in Italy: Conte government pumps hundreds of billions of euros into the economy

Update, 8:15 p.m .: Italy is also economically fighting the corona crisis .

The Mediterranean country intends to tackle the economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic with an economic program worth EUR 400 billion. It is the largest state program in the country's history, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said in a television speech.

Dal decreto di oggi arrivano 400 miliardi di liquidità per le imprese, con il #CuraItalia ne avevamo liberati 350.Parliamo di 750 miliardi, quasi la metà del nostro Pil. Lo Stato c'è e mette subito la sua potenza di fuoco nel motore dell'economia. Quando si rialza l'Italia corre

There will soon be "a new spring for Italy," Conte predicted. The new package of measures will add to government-backed corporate loans of 340 billion that the government announced in March.

Corona crisis in Italy: the number of coronavirus infections is falling

Update, 7.15 p.m .: Soft glimmer of hope in the coronavirus pandemic .

In Italy , the rise in the corona infection curve continues to slow. According to the civil defense in Rome, the number of people currently infected with the Sars-CoV-2 agent rose by less than one percent in one day. However, the number of fatalities within a day remains high at 604.

Turin: A doctor and a nurse in protective clothing work in the intensive care unit of the Maria Pia hospital.

© dpa / Marco Alpozzi

That was a comparatively low increase. Overall, the experts spoke of the success of the strict measures in the fight against the corona virus . There have been 135,586 registered corona cases in Italy to date. The number of official corona deaths is now 17,127. More than 24,000 people have now recovered from the new lung disease.

Corona crisis in Italy: Mafia groups apparently distribute food

Update, 4:44 pm: The corona virus has caused high numbers of infected people in Italy, especially in the north. State measures such as a curfew primarily affected the poorer south .

Last week, the Italian media already spoke of the South becoming a “ social powder keg ”.

Reports were used for this, according to which groups of people in supermarkets in the south did not pay for their purchases with reference to the current situation - and, according to their own statements, could not pay either.

Corona in Italy: The mafia apparently is trying to take advantage of the crisis.

© dpa / Roberta Basile

The Mafia is apparently trying to take advantage of this situation. The Italian newspaper Il fatto quotidiano now reports that the various mafia groups in the south are distributing food, such as bread and pasta, as well as other relief goods to families in need, while little has so far been received by the government's announced aid. Marco Gabrielli, head of the Italian Polizia di stato, points to this. According to his report, the clans in the south are increasingly taking over emergency care. Gabrielli speaks of an "unprecedented and very serious situation".

In this way, the Cosa Nostra, Ndrangheta, Camorra and Co. would secure the trust of the population and thus establish more roots in society. Gabrielli warns that "the Mafia threat could explode with unprecedented violence." The state must now react so that the mafia is not very deep in the economy and society.

Italy starts testing corona antibodies - Nonna (104) defeats the virus

Update, 11.09 a.m .: Did Italy survive the climax of the Corona epidemic? The country has been in quarantine for five weeks. Recently, the data had given hope that Italy could soon return to normal. At least in small steps. There was a setback on Monday evening (see below). In Italy, strict exit bans apply until Friday (April 10). The government is expected to extend it.

Antibody tests should now speed up the process. The "Doge" in Venice - Regional President of Veneto Luca Zaia - has already procured 732,000 rapid tests in China, reports derstandard.at . The first 100,000 people are expected to be tested for antibodies this week. Healed people would get a kind of "immunity certificate" so that they can work again. The reliability of the tests is therefore about 95 percent. Other provinces have announced similar series of tests.

Corona in Italy - Nonna (104) inspires the world

In Italy, a 104-year-old survived the corona virus: Ada Zanusso. The Italian is celebrated for this. The senior had been tested positive for the corona virus in a nursing home on March 17. She suffered from vomiting, fever and difficulty breathing. It goes without saying that Zanusso fought the virus at her age. It is also a sign of hope that Regional President Zaia will share with his followers.

Corona in Italy - Alert level remains - Covid-19 deaths rise again

Update from April 7, 10:52 a.m.

: For two days, the numbers in Italy showed a downward trend. Now the Covid 19 deaths have risen again. 636 deaths were reported within 24 hours, civil defense said on Monday (April 6).

The Lombardy region is said to remain the most affected region in Italy with 9202 deaths, followed by Emilia-Romagna with 2108 deaths.

However, the intensive care unit requiring treatment went back for the third day in a row. Accordingly, 79 patients needed fewer intensive care treatments on Monday than on Sunday. In total, almost 3900 people are cared for in intensive care units in Italy.

In Italy, more than 16,500 people have died from coronavirus-related lung disease Covid-19. Italy is the country with the most deaths worldwide. More than 132,000 cases of infection have been confirmed there.

Corona in Italy - Alert level remains - Covid-19 deaths rise again

Update from April 7, 10:52 am : For two days, the numbers in Italy showed a downward trend. Now the Covid 19 deaths have risen again. 636 deaths were reported within 24 hours, civil defense said on Monday (April 6).

The Lombardy region is said to remain the most affected region in Italy with 9202 deaths, followed by Emilia-Romagna with 2108 deaths.

However, the intensive care unit requiring treatment went back for the third day in a row. Accordingly, 79 patients needed fewer intensive care treatments on Monday than on Sunday. In total, almost 3900 people are cared for in intensive care units in Italy.

In Italy, more than 16,500 people have died from coronavirus-related lung disease Covid-19. Italy is the country with the most deaths worldwide. More than 132,000 cases of infection have been confirmed there.

Update from April 6, 9.30 p.m .: The Coronavirus pandemic in Italy paralyzed the game in Serie A weeks ago. The first Italian football league has now unanimously decided to cut salaries for players and coaches.

A reduction of one third of the annual gross salary of all players is planned should the championship not be able to be played due to the corona crisis .

If the championship can still be ended, the salaries should be reduced by a sixth, according to a press release.

The bad developments in Italy don't leave Andreas Brehme cold either. The 1990 World Cup hero has a very special connection to the country. Now he is selling two irretrievable souvenirs to help with the money.

Update, 7 p.m .: As everywhere in Europe, the police in Italy also strictly monitor compliance with the curfew .

Sometimes police officers can be seen in groups, close to each other in patrol cars, so that they have trouble observing the social distancing they are supposed to monitor.

Do they even pose a risk of corona infection? Are they real coronavirus superspreaders * ?

Corona crisis in Italy: death toll rises again

Update from April 6, 6.45 p.m .: In Italy , a trend reversal was recently observed in the Corona crisis . The infection curve flattened somewhat, and the number of corona deaths per day fell - until this Monday.

Because: The number of fatalities with corona virus has actually increased again. Civil protection in Rome announced that 636 deaths were registered within 24 hours on Monday, compared to 525 the previous day.

Deserted: public places in Italy because of the Corona crisis.

© picture alliance / dpa / Alessandra Tarantino

The total number of infections , however, rose by 2.8 percent to 132,547 - the rate was lower than before. According to the information, there were now 3898 people in intensive care units - 79 fewer than in the previous day.

Experts further emphasized that the number of deaths reflects the contagion of a few weeks ago.

Update, 3:30 p.m .: Italy's citizens demonstrate solidarity once again, even in times of crisis. For a few weeks now, because of extremely strict restrictions, Italians have been banned from leaving their homes since March 10, but they still manage to help the poorest of them.

More and more people in Italian cities are currently hanging small baskets of basic foodstuffs such as pasta, cookies or other goods from their windows.

Corona in Italy: Solidary gesture for the poor in many cities

The gesture is seen in many parts of the country, in the poor south as well as in the more affluent north, such as in Milan. People across Italy are trying to help others who run out of funds with the baskets in need. In the center of the capital, Rome, children had pinned to one of the hanging “corona baskets”, a colorful note that said: “If you need something ... grab it!”. In addition to the inscription, they painted a heart with the positive motto of this crisis: #Andratuttoben ! - in German: Everything will be fine.

The general curfew has also been extended in Italy. You are only allowed to leave the house for special reasons, for example to go shopping, to the doctor or if you cannot work at home. Due to the closure of shops and factories, millions of people have insufficient work and income, which is why the homeless and other poor are particularly affected by the situation.

Corona in Italy: The country is facing further “difficult months”

First report April 6:

Rome - The Coronavirus * is currently the number one enemy of the state in Italy. To date, more than 15,800 people have died as a result of the virus, and the country has recorded over 128,000 infections since the pandemic broke out. But the situation does not seem to want to improve much, as in other countries such as neighboring Austria.

Health Minister Roberto Speranza was forced to extend the current restrictions on everyday life. He said, "If we are not rigorous, we risk that all the efforts that we have made will be in vain." He also prepared the population for further “difficult months”. The government must now create conditions to live with the coronavirus *, at least until the development of a vaccine, Speranza is quoted by the newspaper La Repubblica .

The curfew in the country, which massively restricts the freedom of movement of the population, will continue until April 13 . However, the numbers make it more and more likely to be extended beyond the deadline. It has not yet been possible to estimate when the ordinances that have been in force for almost a month will be repealed, and some measures must be maintained. But there is land in sight: On Saturday, the smallest daily increase in deaths in two weeks was measured, and the number of patients in intensive care units is also declining.

Italy's health minister warns: “New wave of the virus” cannot be ruled out

Minister of Health Speranza issued a five-principles note explaining how the government will proceed in the “second phase” of the emergency. Accordingly, the social distance must be maintained, and there should also be more individual protection as with face masks *.

The health system in particular is to be further strengthened in order to manage sensible treatment of all Covid 19 cases . On the list is also the improvement of the "contact tracking", possibly also by an app. To support the health system, which has been overwhelmed in recent weeks, a network of hospitals is to be installed that deals exclusively with corona patients. Speranza knows that the situation can be realistically classified. "As long as no vaccine is distributed, we cannot rule out a new wave of the virus," said the minister.

Meanwhile, criticism of Sweden's special path in the corona crisis is growing louder. Does it lead directly to disaster?

pm with material from dpa and AFP

* Merkur.de is part of the Germany-wide Ippen-Digital editors network

List of rubric lists: © dpa / Roberta Basile