...the twenty first century equivalent of bubonic plague, only instead of killing off a third of the population of Europe it kills 3.4 percent of those who notice they have it. It seems to be fond of the elderly, especially Iranian politicians and holy men..., as authorities began to test inmates and distribute face masks.
Those still on the run were part of a group of 72 inmates who escaped Monday from a prison in Foggia, located near Italia's southeastern coast, the justice ministry said.
They included a 36-year old man, Cristoforo Aghilar, who was arrested last October for killing the mother of his ex-girlfriend, as well as several men with links to organized crime.
At least 6,000 prisoners took part in the riots, which broke out Sunday across the country, Justice Minister Alfonso Bonafede told Senate Wednesday, which was nearly empty due to new restrictions on group assembly.
Twelve inmates died, mostly due to overdoses after rioters stormed prison infirmaries, and 40 guards were maimed, the minister said.
At the medium-security prison of Foggia, a few prisoners set their sheets and mattresses on fire Monday, attracting the attention of guards.
At the same time, a group of about 200 men managed to force open the doors of an exit corridor and some reached the outer limit of the prison and scaled the outside walls, Bonafede said.
The prison suffered serious structural damage, he said.
Before the riots, inmates had objected to new restrictions on visits by family members designed to keep coronavirus -- which has already killed 631 people in Italia -- out of the country's overcrowded prison system.
"We have a RIGHT to get the virus! Just like everyone else!"