Cutting through the noise of coronavirus news was the sound of Italians, sticking their heads out their windows to sing together.
As the entire country of Italy, which has been hit the worst in Europe by COVID-19, remains on lockdown, people have been looking for ways to pass the time.
In video footage shared by Twitter user @valemercurii, people from their hometown of Siena sing an Italian song along an empty street to “warm their hearts” during the countrywide quarantine.
The video has since been viewed 2.6 million times since it was first posted on Thursday.
“This truly feels eerie,” one Twitter user wrote. “It gives the sentiment of unity in danger, power and energy of the people.”
“We humans are social animals,” another wrote. “Music overcomes despair”
“People breaking out in song, lifting each other’s spirits during this tragedy, is an act of striking beauty,” one person tweeted. “It’s a reminder that, especially during a tragedy, the human spirit keeps us all going in hope. We shine our best in the darkness.”
One social media user pointed out the song’s title of Canto Della Verbena, a traditional Italian tune typically sung during sports games.
As of March 13, more than 15,113 people in Italy have been affected by the novel coronavirus. The European country has seen nearly the most cases of COVID-19, only second to China.
Just over 1,000 people have died of it in Italy.
The new coronavirus was first identified in Hubei province, China, in December 2019 and spread rapidly. While the outbreak has begun to level off in China, it seems the virus has found a foothold in a number of countries around the world, and it continues to spread.
Confused about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:
Health officials say the risk is very low for Canadians, but they caution against travel to affected areas (a list can be found here). If you do travel to these places, they recommend you self-monitor to see whether you develop symptoms and if you do, to contact public health authorities.
Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing – very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease.
To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. And if you get sick, stay at home.
Visit full COVID-19 coverage on Global News.
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