Story By: Ana Lacasa, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash

The death of a 34-year-old fitness fanatic and non-smoker without any previous conditions has rocked an Italian region amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Following Emmanuele Renzi’s death in the municipality of Cave in the central Italian province of Rome, his father told daily newspaper ‘Corriere della Sera’: “He was healthy, he did not have any conditions and he was physically perfect.

“He was a keen sportsman and did not smoke.”

According to local media, Renzi first displayed symptoms of the virus on 11th March when he experienced a fever.

He was taken to the Hospital Tor Vergata in Rome five days later where he was then admitted to the intensive care unit.

His father said: “Emmanuel died because he arrived too late to hospital. His initial symptoms were not taken seriously.”

Cave mayor Angelo Lupi confirmed Renzi’s death and said that he may have been infected during a recent trip to Barcelona in Spain.

According to a preliminary investigation, the man, who had a baby and worked in a call centre, visited Barcelona between 6th and 8th March.

He went into self-isolation on 9th March and displayed the first symptoms on 11th March.

Renzi was taken to hospital on the 16th March and he passed away on Sunday the 22nd.

An autopsy has been carried out, but the results have not yet been disclosed.

As of 26th March, Italy has reported 74,386 confirmed cases of CVID-19 and 7,503 related deaths, according to the latest data from the Johns Hopkins University.

However, 9,362 people in the country have gone on to make full recoveries.

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