Italy has the largest outbreak of coronavirus in Europe today.

Northern Italy is the hardest hit.

The number of Chinese people in Italy has grown rapidly in the last decade.

Official statistics indicate there are at least 320,794 Chinese citizens in Italy.

With an estimated 300,000 Chinese nationals, Italy hosts the largest diaspora community in the European Union.

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Via Aljazeera — Today, thousands work in small companies across Padua and other areas.

The coronavirus was detected near Padua back on February 21.

Around 50,000 Chinese are employed in Prato alone, Italy’s textile capital near Florence.

The Italian government suspended flights to and from China on January 31 after two Chinese tourists tested positive.

But it was too late.

The coronavirus numbers grew from 150 in mid-February to 1,128 cases by February 29th.

Since then the number of cases have exploded.

Today Italy has recorded 24,747 cases of coronavirus and 1,809 deaths.

Italy today is ground zero for the deadly virus.