Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


One Italian Official Describes How Coronavirus Might Have Spread

Sabina Castelfranco

   ROME - A provincial official in Italy says a soccer game and a missed
   opportunity to detect one early coronavirus case might have contributed
   to the rapid spread of the disease in his hard-hit country.

   The mayor of Bergamo, Giorgio Gori, says his province, like many others
   in Italy, were not prepared for the coronavirus outbreak. Bergamo did
   not go into lockdown initially like 10 other towns in Lombardy and one
   in Veneto.

   A case of pneumonia at a hospital in Bergamo province in late February
   was not recognized as coronavirus at the time. Gori believes that
   patient infected others, including doctors and nurses.

   Gori says another event is also believed responsible for the rapid
   spread of the virus in his province: a Champions League soccer game
   played February 19.

   Gori says 40,000 fans from the Bergamo area watched the match played at
   Milan's San Siro stadium between Atalanta and Valencia.

   Many others watched the game at home in large groups, Gori added, and
   no doubt all those gatherings caused an escalation of the virus to
   nearly 7,000 cases.

.