Coronavirus outbreak

In the early days of Italy’s strict nationwide coronavirus lockdown, public morale was high. Despite the shock of the pandemic, Italians appeared determined to keep their spirits up. But as the crisis has prolonged, the bitter economic reality of the struggle to rein in the disease is taking its toll, corroding social cohesion and bringing fears of a breakdown in law and order. Signs of social unrest are mounting — especially in the poorer south, which has recorded fewer infections compared to the viral hotspots of the north.