Frustrations and infections rise in Naples as second Covid lockdown looms

The four women huddling around their neighbour in an alleyway off Via dei Tribunali, in central Naples, took turns to call an ambulance. “It’s an absolute disaster!” yelled one of them, called Antonietta. “Nobody is responding, we’ve been trying for hours.” The woman sitting on a chair in the middle of them, with her head bent forward, had a heart problem. Not even taxi drivers were answering the phone. One woman suggested calling the police. “Now do you understand why we’re so angry?” said Antonietta. “Things are so desperate here – Covid is not the only thing that is killing us.” Emotions are running high as coronavirus rapidly spreads through the southern Italian city and the prospect of another lockdown looms. Giuseppe Conte’s government is working towards new restrictions, expected to be decided on Monday, that could result in shutdowns in areas where the virus is escalating.