After the coronavirus disease threatened to wipe out its entire elderly population with dozens of cases discovered, the village of Nerola in Italy was declared as a red zone and was turned into a "human laboratory," last week.
The entire village was sealed off by the army. Every resident was put into quarantine as medical researchers arrive in the village to test the entire population in hopes that they will be able to learn more about the virus.
The residents are prohibited from leaving their homes even for getting food and medicine. All 1,900 people within the village are now test subjects in a study that aims to further understand the coronavirus pandemic.
Roads leading to the hilltop village have been blocked. Authorities even tried to rid the village with road signs to completely take it off the map. However, the village mayor Sabrina Granieri called them out saying they were taking things too far.
Granieri said that their sacrifice would be a great help for the whole scientific community. Thus, she insisted that people should know that they are existing and are fighting to stay alive. She further stressed that nobody could erase them.
In an interview with BBC, the mayor also said that people inside the village have been very confused about what is happening. Some people have feared that the virus has taken over their village. Granieri, however, assured them that everything is for their own safety and that staying at home would be their sacrifice for the greater good.
While the village is being quarantined, the researchers will study how the virus spreads throughout a community and how many people are displaying symptoms. They will also use the people to trail any possible treatments for the virus.
They will then use the people to trail any possible treatments.
The village was put in lockdown after two elderly residents from a care home died of COVID-19 and 77 people got infected. During the lockdown, only officials and army who will give door-to-door supplies will be able to enter and leave the village.
COVID-19 in Italy
As of April 6, the COVID-19 death toll in Italy has risen to 16,523 while the number of cases has reached more than 132,547. However, hope sparked in the country as the rise in number of daily infections reached its lowest point since March 17 with only 3,599 new infections.
The country's government has also begun to consider reopening businesses.
Meanwhile, in Lombardy, the region which received the worst hit of the virus, residents have been scrounging for protective facemasks which have been scarce since the virus hit the country. Some make their own face masks after the authorities announced that people who leave their homes and go in public are required to wear protective coverings.
While the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) has been scarce globally, authorities in Lombardy have pledged that they will be distributing at least 3 million facemasks in the region especially for the healthcare frontliners.
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