Italy’s death toll from the coronavirus outbreak has now surpassed China with more than 600 deaths and 6,000 reported cases.
And on Tuesday, Australian radio star Kate Langbroek, who lives with her family in Bologna (Northern Italy), pleaded for Australians to take social distancing seriously.
Kate, 54, appeared on Seven’s Sunrise to encourage the public to stay home and ‘do their bit’ during the global pandemic, or face the similar fate Italy is facing.
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‘The hospitals and medical staff are overwhelmed’: Radio star Kate Langbroek issued a plea for Australians to stay home on Tuesday as Italy’s coronavirus death toll continues to rise
Kate is one of millions of Italian residents staying at home as parts of the country are placed under ‘red zone’ quarantine restrictions.
So far, her family have been stuck inside their Bologna apartment for a total of 19 days.
‘We’re still here and we’re still doing our bit. Which I believe the only way this virus can be killed is by all of us doing basically nothing,’ she said.
‘Short of a vaccine we need to minimise contact with each other and stay inside…It does seem that the only way that we can vanquish the coronavirus is by staying inside and minimising our contact with each other so that is what we have to do.’
Kate said hospitals close to their home were some of the most impacted by the virus in Italy.
‘The hospitals are overwhelmed, the medical staff are overwhelmed and the understanding is that other countries is Europe that could have helped, didn’t help initially,’ she suggested, adding: ‘It really has an emotional impact to see the world you’re so used to seeing a certain way just totally bereft.’
Troubling times: Kate said hospitals close to their home were some of the most impacted by the virus in Italy
‘Short of a vaccine we need to minimise contact with each other and stay inside’: Kate said she and her family were ‘doing their bit’ as they entered day 19 of lockdown in Italy
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.
She has continually 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 by authorities.
Schools in Italy are also shut down, so Kate has been home schooling her four children for the past month.
‘It’s been 19 days in and a month of homeschooling, but in the scheme of things, compared to the medical staff, this (self isolating) is nothing,’ she said.
‘Compared to the medical staff, this (self isolating) is nothing’: While she joked about homeschooling and being locked in their apartment for weeks, she said it was a simple act everyone can do to help save lives
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
Meanwhile, in her native home of Australia the were 1,886 reported cases of coronavirus, including seven deaths, on Tuesday.
The Australia Government has also implemented the closure of some ‘non-essential’ businesses, including gyms, pubs, clubs, and casinos, as well as dining areas at restaurants and cafes.
There is also a ban on indoor gatherings of more than 100 people, and outdoor events of more than 500.
On home soil: In her native country of Australia, as of Tuesday March 24, there were 1,886 reported cases of coronavirus, including seven deaths