Agency Reporter
Italy is recruiting retired doctors in a bid to contain the coronavirus crisis ravaging the country.
At the last count, it had 4600 confirmed cases and no fewer than 197 deaths.
More than 60 mourners at a funeral in Spain are reportedly infected as the WHO warns all countries to make containment their ‘highest priority’
Italy has seen the biggest coronavirus outbreak in Europe.
The decision to bring in 20,000 additional staff to fight the escalating epidemic was one of several measures adopted by the government during an all-night cabinet meeting after the country reported 49 more deaths in one day.
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It comes as the WHO told all countries to make containment ‘their highest priority’ as the global death toll reaches 3,000 with more than 100,000 confirmed cases.
The WHO called the spread of the coronavirus ‘deeply concerning’.
The Italian government said its medical recruitment drive should help double the staff of hospitals’ respiratory and infectious disease departments.
It should also increase the number of intensive care beds from 5,000 to 7,500 in the coming days.
Similar methods are being adopted in China where veteran Dr Dong Jie – who helped combat the SARS outbreak in 2003 – has been drafted back in to help deal with coronavirus.
More than 60 people are believed to have caught coronavirus after attending a funeral in northern Spain.
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