Inside one of northern Italy’s hospitals under colossal strain

Walking into the intensive care unit at the Oglio Po hospital in Cremona on Thursday (March 19) was like walking onto the front line of a war against an invisible enemy. The sound of ventilators forcing oxygen into patients and the beeping of medical equipment filled the air as patients with coronavirus lay immobile on their beds. Medical staff wearing green or blue protective suits, goggles and masks moved around the beds checking on patients battling the coronavirus. The whole hospital has been given ov