Italy's wealthy northern provinces have taken the brunt of the coronavirus outbreak. Had the initial infection cluster started in the poorer southern regions, the crisis would likely have been even worse. But the southern regions are struggling, too.
Four weeks into a nationwide lockdown, very few Italians are still singing from their balconies or banging pots and pans in solidarity. Instead, flags were lowered to half-staff this week for the nearly 15,000 coronavirus victims including doctors, nurses and health care professionals who have perished since February 23.
The lockdown, which was originally scheduled to end Friday, April 3, has now been extended to beyond Easter, and Italians from north to south are nearing a breaking point just as the draconian measures have begun to show signs of stopping the spread of Covid-19.Italy's wealthy northern provinces have taken the brunt of the coronavirus outbreak with more than 75% of overall cases and deaths north of Tuscany, in the center of the country, per the Italian Civil Protection agency.
With a huge part of the southern population working in the so-called"black economy" off the books, a whole segment of people lost jobs for which they cannot legally claim unemployment benefits. Those who do have legitimate employment have been given a path to ask for the suspension of some bills, but black economy workers -- of whom there are an estimated 3.7 million, according to ISTAT -- have no such outlet for relief.
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