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Italy has been cautioned that the country is likely still just two weeks away from seeing the deadly disease reach its peak, as cautioned by a top infectious disease expert on Thursday. The caution has been made with the bulk of the residents of Italy being on the coronavirus lockdown as several people are being infected by the deadly novel coronavirus.

Dr. Massimo Galli who is the head of the unit of the infectious disease has told to ABC News, at the overwhelmed Sacco Hospital in Milan that the hospital has been receiving new patients who are suffering from the deadly novel coronavirus, for every five minutes and that the facility is reaching a point of “complete saturation.”

Dr. Massimo Galli has added saying that the patients may increase for another week or two and that the country could witness the infection being spread for up to four more weeks.

It has also been said that although new patients who are infected by the deadly novel coronavirus are being admitted for every five minutes to the Sacco Hospital which is said to be one of the largest medical centers in Italy, the patients who have been treated and are virus- free are also being discharged every two or three hours.

The doctor has also said that the hospital is experiencing a complete saturation of beds due to which the hospital is getting close to not be able to accept new patients and therefore the administration of the hospital has been seeking alternative buildings for treating the patients.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the coronavirus as a global pandemic, on Wednesday as more than 120,000 people across the globe have been tested positive as being infected by the deadly novel coronavirus.

The officials of Italy have said that the number of people with confirmed cases of being infected by the deadly novel coronavirus is said to be at least 12,462 with more that 1,016 deaths being caused due to being infected by the disease as of Thursday afternoon.

Italy is said to be the hardest hit in Europe and is said to be the second following China in the number of cases of people being infected by the deadly novel COVID-19.

Guiseppe Conte who is the Prime Minister of Italy has taken a dramatic step on Monday which was to institute the lockdown of millions of residents and the ones particularly which are in the region of Lombardy which is said to include Milan.

The Prime Minister had made all the educational establishments to be closed and the businesses to shut down, with the exception of pharmacies and grocery stores. Italy is said to be on a complete lockdown in order to curb the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus in the country.

It has been recorded that 15,113 number of people have been infected by the deadly novel coronavirus in Italy and the number of deaths being caused due to getting infected by the virus is said to be 1,016 in number.

Currently the deadly coronavirus which has been officially named as COVID-19 has infected 135,116 people across the globe and 4,990 deaths have been recorded as being caused by getting infected by the deadly novel COVID-19.

By Shrithika Kushangi