Northern Italy is a very rich region. It's the opposite way round to the north south divide in the UK. 

Saudi Arabia becomes the latest country to shut all schools and universities.  It's done it until further notice.

So what could the explanation be? I don't think demographics is enough now. 

LOL Someones nicked the loo rolls from the gents in the pub!

Cant wait to see if someone needs a dump. Probably have to use the ladies - though that's probably been stripped too,considering the skanks that come here

Most cases in Europe have originated from Italy, but no other country has the Italian death rates. The most likely explanation is that the N.Italian hospitals are getting swamped (like in Hubei) and this is what is causing the high death rates.

Where have you got that figure from Brian? 

It's 5% at the moment which is obviously very high but still a long way off 25%

That's the plan. Only way to beat the Tories now

It's clear that pizza isn't good for your immune system.

This is indicative and a copy/paste of what had happened in Wuhan: 

• Italian doctors have warned medics across Europe to “get ready” for coronavirus in a letter revealing up to 10 per cent of all those infected with coronavirus need intensive care, with hospitals becoming overwhelmed


• We are seeing a high percentage of positive cases being admitted to our intensive care units (ICUs), in the range of 10 per cent of all positive patients


• Italian hospitals had seen “a very high” number of intensive care patients who were admitted “almost entirely” for severe lung failure caused by the virus and needing ventilators to help them breathe


• Increase your total ICU capacity. Identify early hospitals that can manage the initial surge in a safe way. Get ready to prepare ICU areas where to cohort Covid-19 patients – in every hospital if necessary.”


• The technical note spells out how patients with coronavirus experience a severe infection in all of their lungs, requiring major ventilation support. It also reveals the effect of the virus, which affects blood pressure, the heart, kidneys and liver with patients needing sustained treatment


• A week ago we opened a six-bed ICU for Covid-19 critically ill patients. In two days our unit filled up and we extended it to 10 beds on 3 March which filled up during the same afternoon. Now we’re planning to merge the cardio and general ICUS to use the general ICU beds for 10 more Covid-19 patients.”


• 
  

  Dr Nattino said younger patients were being affected, saying the ages of patients ranged from 46 to 83 with only a small number having important underlying conditions.

  
  

  He added: “The last days are showing a younger population involved as if the elderly and weaker part of the population crashed early and now younger patients, having exhausted their physiological reserves, come to overcrowded, overwhelmed hospitals with little resources left.”

  
  

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus-italy-doctors-intensive-care-deaths-a9384356.html

I’ve binned all my pasta and stocked up with rice 

Probably made the same mistake i did and forgot to divide 100 by the number to make the percentage. 

A goes into B  amount = C 

100 ÷ C = %

When Quantum, me and some others were warning about this looming pandemic and urging tighter travel restrictions, stopping people going to the Far East for holidays and cruises and then urging closing of borders with countries like Italy, we were scorned.

Jeered at - "isolationist brexiteers" "scaremongering". Well, those panglossian remainers who were saying "move along please, nothing to see here" were wrong.

The UK has been reacting too slowly, the EU has been completely useless, yet now we see in Italy just what this virus means for real people trying to get on with their lives.

Hopefully, the UK can still escape the worst, but my fear is that that particular horse has already bolted.

I exempt Justin from criticism - he is a resident remainer who did have the foresight to see what was coming.

I hadn't returned to TWO at that point, but was firmly in the you/Justin camp on that one. From what I can see in here, some of those who continue to be most "relaxed" about this are Leavers. Not sure this splits down Brexit lines TBH, Maunder.

Probably not Nick. However, there was chronic complacency for many on all sides.

Too late to worry now, the pandemic has already arrived and we just have to get through it.

Don't worry, with our bulldog spirit, we can beat the italians at anything.

It's pathetic to associate this with Brexit. I personally mocked  Q repeatedly for his overreaction in late Jan (stopping social activities, raising indoor temperature to 27C etc. and for indulging in wild and baseless speculation (it's out of control in Singapore, 10% death rate, the Chinese data is dodgy etc.)

I have taken this seriously right from the start by trying to improve my hygiene and by trying to stay informed. I have stopped shaking hands about a week ago and I will now work from home for the next 2-3 months and I am fully stocked up for that period. I also said repeatedly that Italy and Europe have probably mishandled the epidemic in Lombardy.  

So I assumed you will apologising to Q as you are now doing what he outlined to some degree. A small majority were calling this correctly since the turn of the year.