Staff at the Pope John XXIII hospital in Bergamo — once the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy — announced they had no more patients with coronavirus in their intensive care unit.
After 137 days of trying to keep critically ill patients alive, staff gathered July 8 for a moment of silence to remember those who had passed away in their wards, followed by applause for the more than 400 hospital workers in the department.
Maria Beatrice Stasi, director general of the hospital, told reporters they had discharged the last patient to recover from COVID-19, marking “a moment of great emotion” and relief as the intensive care unit can now accommodate other patients and staff can return to their regular uniforms.
At the worst point of the crisis, which began with their first patient being admitted Feb. 23, the ICU had more than 100 patients intubated. Read more