Milan left deserted by deadly coronavirus spread as Italy’s ‘Patient 1’ roamed for 36 HOURS before doctors tested him
THE iconic streets of fashion capital Milan have been left deserted as Italy is left on its knees by the deadly spread of coronavirus.
Twelve people have died in the country since Friday, as Italy has become the worst affected country in Europe.
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Pictures show Milan's normally packed roads in the city centre, Duomo Square and its main railway station almost abandoned.
It emerged Italy's first known patient was allowed to potentially infect others for 36 hours in hospital before being tested for coronavirus and then isolated, it has been reported.
The man, a 38-year-old known as ‘Patient 1’ - the first known case of coronavirus in Italy - was admitted to Policlinico San Matteo in Pavia with pneumonia on February 19.
The marathon runner and footballer spent a day and a half in the medical unit, with family and friends visiting him, before testing positive for Covid-19 in the evening of February 20.
It is believed during that time he might have infected others, including two doctors who were treating him.
The patient showed symptoms but was not tested before as he had not come back from China, Italian newspaper reports.
Four guests from the hotel, including the doctor and his wife, are now in hospital after being diagnosed with the bug.
It is understood the two latest cases, also thought to be Italians, were part of a group of ten tourists who travelled to the island together.
The number of coronavirus cases globally has passed 80,000, with over 2,700 deaths being reported so far.
In South Korea, infections have risen again, taking the total to over 1,200, according to .
Italy and Iran, among the worst-hit countries, are battling to contain the outbreak of the virus.
The World Health Organisation said it is still early to label the spread of coronavirus as a pandemic, but countries should be "in a phase of preparedness".
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