28 nursing home patients hospitalised in Rome

Rome's infectious diseases hospital has admitted 28 patients from a nursing home who were confirmed to have COVID-19.

Spallanzani Hospital, which is the hub for all coronavirus patients in the region that includes Italy's capital, said the patients were admitted Saturday from the Latina Nursing Home Clinic.

Prosecutors have been investigating nursing homes both in the epicenter of the country's outbreak since late February, as well as in the south and other less-stricken areas.

In several cases, the majority of the homes' residents contracted the illness and had many fatalities.

Relatives have complained they were kept in the dark about their loved one's condition.

Some nursing home workers, including at a 1,000-bed facility in Milan, have alleged they were told by management not to wear protective masks near residents so the elderly wouldn't be frightened.

Spallanzani said in a statement Sunday that the hospital was beefing up nursing services to facilitate contact with the elderly patients' families through video phone calls and adding personnel to the switchboard so they can keep relatives informed.