Well, I can only say one thing in defence of Italians (authorities? public?): the madness is everywhere. Just to make my point, yesterday the evening news in one of the major TV channels in Greece started with 25 minutes on the Coronavirus situation, while the number of cases and deaths here is, still, 0 (zero). At the same time, deaths from real seasonal cases of influenza are already reached 60, but other than their relatives, nobody cares! By the way, if one extrapolates from that number to the Chinese population, this would mean 9000 deaths over there, compared to the <3000 from the present epidemic.

To continue on I.CRIS's ideas, the only numbers that are to be taken seriously in Italy are the ones concerning deaths. Italy is one of the countries which, for statistical reasons, has influenza = common cold = upper respiratory infections, when these occur during a fixed period from November to February. Thus, a multitude of different viruses and aetiologies are added and this translates to 4 to 8 million (yes!) cases per year, leading to the highest flu prevalence in the world and, at the same time, lowest mortality rates. Both of these are completely wrong scientifically, but Italian public health officials have to live with it. I stress, though, that I don't have the slightest idea how the infections (not the deaths) of the present epidemic in Italy are diagnosed and counted and, especially, distinguished from the statistical flu...

Having retired three years ago (or is it already four?) I'm glad I don't have to worry about this epidemic too. My current advice to all is to worry more about the non-medical results of the present epidemic (closed "everything", cancellations, empty supermarkets, etc.) and just wait and see. I.CRIS hang on there, and good luck! I know this is certainly no help, but the reaction of your co-nationals allows me, as a Greek, to state once more "una faccia, una razza", even if this time it concerns your North.