[WATCH] Singing in a time of quarantine - Italians lead the way
Videos doing the rounds on social media show Italians under quarantine in the wake of the Covid-19 epidemic singing from their balconies with the music echoing down the empty streets.
Italy has been struck by the worst European outbreak of the novel coronavirus pandemic, with more than 17,000 cases and 1,266 deaths.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said Friday that Europe was now the epicentre for the global coronavirus pandemic - and warned it was impossible to know when the outbreak would peak.
However, Italians managed to find solidarity in music, as the videos show.
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A Siena, città alla quale sono molto legato, si sta in casa ma si canta insieme come se si fosse per la strada. Mi sono commosso pic.twitter.com/IDPqNEj3h3
— David Allegranti (@davidallegranti) March 12, 2020
On Friday evening in several districts of Rome, music and singing could be heard coming from people's windows, including renditions of the national anthem.
A message circulating on WhatsApp had encouraged people to sing specific songs on certain days, including the anthem on Friday.
Another tune heard on Friday night was Grazie Roma, a popular song from the 1990s, which includes the words: "Tell me what it is which makes us feel like we're together, even when we're apart."
Another social media initiative has seen Italians put up signs outside their homes saying "andra tutto bene" or "everything will be OK".
* Additional reporting by AFP.
Italians in lockdown all over Italy are keeping each other company by singing, dancing and playing music from the balconies. A thread to celebrate the resilience of ordinary people.
— THE FACT (@THEFACTGLOBAL) March 14, 2020
pic.twitter.com/yRMCwE1c3O
Quarantined #Italians singing "Bella Ciao" from their balconies🤍 pic.twitter.com/RqHPKFIkJZ
— نور (@nurchehade_) March 14, 2020
compilation of italians singing from their balconies during the lockdown since no one is allowed to visit other people pic.twitter.com/ShReyNA7V9
— Vesa Eriksson (@Vesku) March 14, 2020