Italian couple together for 60 years die from coronavirus hours apart

An Italian couple who were married for more than 60 years have died just hours apart after contracting coronavirus. Photo / 123rf

An Italian couple who were married for more than 60 years have died just hours apart after contracting coronavirus.

According to their son Luca Carrara, Luigi and his wife Serena spent eight days locked at home with a fever of 39C before being taken to hospital in Bergamo, Italy, last weekend.

Carrara wasn't able to see his parents because the couple were in isolation.

Just days later, one died at 9.15am before the other passed away at 11am, less than two hours apart.

Carrara told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera he was furious at being denied the chance of a final farewell, saying his parents died "alone".

"They died alone, that's how this virus works," he said.

"Your loved ones are left alone and you can't even say goodbye, hug them, try to give them some comfort. [You can't even tell them] a good lie like 'everything will be fine'."

Italian Couple, 60 Years Of Marriage, Die From Coronavirus Two Hours Apart - https://t.co/aoPzDzWmaA | Sad.

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Carrara revealed the reality at medical centres had reached boiling point, and doctors were having to choose who to save.

"In the hospital everything is disastrous," he said.

He added that staff didn't know where to put patients and doctors were choosing which people to save, and "leaving the elderly to die".

"But what can they do?" he added.

Unable to say goodbye properly, Carrara took to social media to pay tribute to his parents in a personal account of their life.

"Hello, Mum and Dad, this evil virus has taken you both the same day, will you continue arguing up there?," he wrote on Facebook.

"Surely, but then you will end with a hug."

In a word of warning to other families, Carrara added: "My father was 86, he was an old man, yes, but he had no previous illness.

Earlier this week, Italy implemented a nationwide lockdown in a desperate bid to contain the spread of Covid-19.

More than 1000 people in Italy have died as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak, according to the latest figures.

The death toll from an outbreak of coronavirus in Italy has jumped in the past 24 hours by 189 to 1016, a rise of 23 per cent, the Civil Protection Agency said on Friday NZ time.

The total number of cases in Italy, the European country hardest hit by the virus, rose to 15,113 from a previous 12,462, an increase of 21.7 per cent.

That marked the biggest daily rise in absolute terms since the contagion first came to light on February 21.