Italy’s death toll from the coronavirus outbreak reached 1,016 on Thursday, according to the country’s Civil Protection Agency.
And Australian radio presenter Kate Langbroek, who lives with her family in Bologna, has shared the stark reality of life in Italy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bologna, in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, has become a ghost city amid the global health crisis.
Kate, 54, has documented her experience on Instagram, sharing confronting photos of abandoned streets and empty churches, as well as describing some of the restrictions being enforced in public spaces.
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Abandoned streets, empty churches and sitting one metre apart at dinner: Kate Langbroek (pictured) is documenting the stark reality of life in Italy amid the coronavirus pandemic
A city in lockdown: On Thursday, the Australian radio presenter shared this photo to Instagram of the Basilica di San Petronio church looking completely deserted in the Maggiore Piazza
Kate is one of millions of Italian residents staying at home as parts of the country are placed under ‘red zone’ quarantine restrictions
On Thursday, the mother-of-four shared a photo of the Basilica di San Petronio church looking completely deserted in the Maggiore Piazza.
She also uploaded a photo of her husband, Peter Allen Lewis, at a local restaurant ahead of its closure due to an enforced lockdown. The plates were spread out on the table to ensure diners weren’t sitting too close together.
‘Today we went to our mate Giovanni’s restaurant for the last time in… we don’t know how long. He’d invited us there to finish his fresh pasta and meatballs before he closes for the lockdown,’ she wrote in the caption.
‘We sat a metre apart from each other in his empty restaurant, as per lockdown decree. Life is good. Challenging – but good.’
‘We sat a metre apart from each other as per lockdown decree’: She uploaded this photo of her husband, Peter Allen Lewis, at a restaurant ahead of its closure due to an enforced lockdown. The plates were spread out on the table to ensure diners weren’t sitting too close together
There are 194 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Australia as of Friday afternoon
Staying put: Kate has been home schooling her four children since last week due to the nationwide closure of education facilities
Schools in Italy are also shut down, so Kate has been home schooling her four children for the past nine days.
‘There’s no school so kids aren’t getting [coronavirus] from each other and spreading it through the community,’ Kate explained.
Last week, she shared footage of her children studying in their bedrooms, along with the caption: ‘Home school. Day two of coronavirus lockdown.’
Her children appeared to be fed up with the situation, with her 14-year-old daughter asking her mother to stop filming.
Kate also shared a photo of Bologna’s central square, Piazza Maggiore, looking eerily empty without its usual mix of tourists and locals.
‘We can get to the shops’: Despite reports she and her family were trapped in their Bologna apartment, Kate has said they are able to travel around freely, albeit with some restrictions
‘Until further notice’: Kate said two days ago that she didn’t know when the lockdown in Italy would be lifted
‘The noose is tightening here’: Kate revealed all businesses must close except for ‘essentials’
Despite reports that she and her family were trapped in their Bologna apartment, Kate has said they are able to travel around freely, albeit with some restrictions.
‘The noose is tightening here: all businesses to close except essentials. This means food, banks, post offices – but because it’s Italy – also includes tobacconists!’ she said on Thursday.
Kate and her husband, Peter Allen Lewis, relocated to Italy with their four children, Lewis, Sunday, Artie and Jan, in January 2019 for what was supposed to be a ‘gap year.’ They have since extended their stay for another 12 months.
Expat life: Kate and her husband, Peter Allen Lewis, relocated to Italy with their four children, Lewis, Sunday, Artie and Jan, in January 2019 for what was supposed to be a ‘gap year.’ They have since extended their stay for another 12 months