Russian medics start working in Italy ICU

Russian medical teams started working in intensive care units of a field hospital set up by Italy's mountain infantry in coronavirus-hit Bergamo.

The field hospital, with 142 beds, hosted the first 10 patients on Wednesday and is operated by 200 medical experts, 32 of them Russian doctors and nurses.

To help Italy fight the virus outbreak, Russia sent eight mobile medical teams along with medical equipment and aerosol disinfection trucks.

The Russian mission to Italy began after President Vladimir Putin offered the aid in a telephone conversation with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on March 21.

As of Thursday morning, Italy has reported a total of 17,669 deaths and 139,422 confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and could lead to death.