Former Italy PM investigated for allegedly mishandling COVID outbreak [Video]

Italian prosecutors have placed former prime minister Giuseppe Conte under investigation for allegedly mishandling the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in early 2020, three sources with direct knowledge of the matter said on Thursday.

The total of 19 suspects also includes former Health Minister Roberto Speranza, Lombardy region governor Attilio Fontana and executives and officials from Italian national and regional public health bodies, the sources added.

Prosecutors in the northern city of Bergamo, the epicentre of the deadly outbreak of COVID-19 that began in February 2020, issued a statement late on Wednesday saying they had wrapped up their investigation against 17 suspects, without naming them.

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They cited 17 people in the statement because the documents relating to the former prime minister and former health minister were transferred to a separate court dealing with government figures under Italian law, the sources added.

The crimes alleged in the …