Bergamo Is Post-Peak, But Still Climbing Out Of Coronavirus Crisis

BERGAMO, ITALY - APRIL 7: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) A nurse attends to a COVID-19 patient that is wearing a CPAP helmet while he is moved out of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Pope John XXIII Hospital on April 7, 2020 in Bergamo, Italy. The number of new COVID-19 cases appears to be decreasing in Italy, including in the province of Bergamo, one of its hardest-hit areas. But as the infection rate slows, life is still far from normal. A local newspaper, the Eco di Bergamo, estimates that the province has lost roughly 4,800 people to coronavirus - almost twice an official tally that only counts hospital deaths - and everyone here knows someone who's fallen ill: a neighbor, a family member, a relative, a friend or an acquaintance. Since February 23, the day of the first COVID-19 hospitalization, nearly 1,600 people have been hospitalized at Pope John XXIII hospital in Bergamo. Although the situation is improving, the hospital continues to see a high volume of coronavirus patients. On the busiest days during the crisis, its emergency room saw peaks of more than 100 serious coronavirus patients and used up to 146 CPAP helmets to provide non-invasive ventilation. More than 450 additional hospital beds were activated in just a few days, with 92 ICU beds devoted to COVID-19 patients. (Photo by Marco Di Lauro/Getty Images)