Italy mourns its virus dead at end of fateful month
Published : Wednesday, 1 April, 2020 at 12:00 AM Count : 215
ROME, Mar 31: Italy marked a minute of silence and flew flags at half mast on Tuesday to mourn the 11,591 people who have died from the coronavirus pandemic that has drastically altered life in the Mediterranean country. The nation of 60 million people has recorded nearly a third of all fatalities caused by the disease around the world. The day of mourning marks a month in which Italy saw more deaths from a single disaster than at any time since World War II. It was first detected in Italy near the northern city of Milan in late February. The virus "is an injury that hurt the whole country," Rome mayor Virginia Raggi said after observing a minute's silence at noon. "Together, we will get through this," she said at a ceremony held outside Rome's city hall. Vatican City also flew its yellow-and-white flags at half mast in solidarity with the rest of Italy. -AFP