Icon: enlarge
Photo: Darko Vojinovic / AP
Italy's former head of government Silvio Berlusconi spoke up for the first time after being infected with the coronavirus and told party colleagues about the fight against the "hellish disease".
"I'm giving everything and I hope I'll be back soon," said Berlusconi, according to the Ansa news agency, during a conference call with members of his Forza Italia party.
"I'm fighting to get out of this hellish disease."
The 83-year-old has been treated for his coronavirus infection in the San Raffaele hospital in Milan since last Friday.
He had been diagnosed with early stages of bilateral pneumonia.
For a few days now, the politician and entrepreneur, who is considered a risk patient because of his age and some previous illnesses, has been on the mend.
"I think that every hour that passes brings us closer to the positive result of recovery," said Berlusconi's doctor Alberto Zangrillo on Tuesday evening on the TV channel Rai.
Icon: enlarge
Doctor Alberto Zangrillo on patient Berlusconi: "He reacts very well to the therapies"
Photo: Claudio Furlan / dpa
However, Covid-19 is a "treacherous disease" that you shouldn't think too quickly that you have defeated, warned Zangrillo.
With Berlusconi, however, the treatment in hospital shows success.
"His illness has taken the hoped-for course, he reacts very well to the therapies," said the doctor.
more on the subject
Corona infection: Berlusconi with bilateral pneumonia in the hospital
Berlusconi was first tested on August 25th after returning from a vacation in Sardinia.
He owns a luxury estate there.
The result was negative.
After corona infections were found in some of the people Berlusconi met on the Italian island, the 83-year-old was tested again.
The billionaire entered Italian politics in 1993.
Between 1994 and 2011 he was Prime Minister of Italy four times.
In addition to his political career, he also hit the headlines through numerous affairs and scandals.
Among other things, he had to answer in court for tax fraud.
He is currently a member of the European Parliament.
Icon: The mirror
bam / dpa
/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/prisa/72P5ZYTEFHLNFRHZVR6CRUERCU.jpg)
