Norway Dispatches Medical Support Teams to Northern Italy for COVID-19 Response

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] The Norwegian government is dispatching an emergency medical team to northern Italy, which has been severely affected by the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

According to major foreign media on the 6th (local time), the Norwegian government plans to send an emergency medical team consisting of 20 to 25 doctors and nurses to Lombardy, northern Italy, which is the hardest hit area. The Norwegian Minister of Health stated, "European solidarity is not a theoretical exercise, and now is the time to truly demonstrate it," adding, "We must help each other when a crisis occurs."

According to the real-time COVID-19 status from Johns Hopkins University in the United States, as of that day, Italy's cumulative confirmed cases of COVID-19 stood at 128,948, with 15,887 deaths. Norway reported approximately 5,759 confirmed cases and 71 deaths.

The Norwegian government plans to decide on June 8 whether to extend restrictive measures such as school closures in response to COVID-19. Previously, the Norwegian government had taken measures including closing public and private institutions such as schools and restaurants and suspending all sports events.