ROME, May 7. /TASS/. Representatives of the authority of the Italy’s northern province of Lombardy came to the city of Bergamo to thank Russian specialists, who spent over 1.5 months providing aid against the coronavirus pandemic. According to Russian Embassy in Italy, the ceremony was attended by Lombardy governor Attilio Fontana and a number of local authorities.

Russian Ambassador in Italy Sergey Razov announced that the Russian humanitarian military mission has finished its job in Italy. The diplomat reminded that the mission was organized in accordance with the agreement, reached between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. He also remembered as almost two months ago, together with the Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio, he met the Russian team.

"Working for almost a month and a half side by side with the Italian colleagues in the most contaminated areas, risking their health, our specialists were selflessly saving human lives, displaying resilience against the wide-scale coronavirus threat. They fulfilled their duty honestly and in a highly professional manner. I am certain that the Russian-Italian cooperation against the coronavirus will become another binding element that strengthens the canvas of our bilateral relations," Razov said.

"You have come at the most difficult moment for us in the past 80 years. And you brought concrete help, making life of our medics easier, among other things; but you have displayed other values as well - friendship and solidarity. And this is some incredible power," Fontana said.

Chief medic’s impressions

Russian medics have cured a total of 76 patients in a field hospital in Bergamo, speedily constructed to admit the coronavirus patients when the local Pope John XXIII hospital was overloaded. The chemical and biological protection troops decontaminated 114 nursing homes, 1,131,000 square meters of indoor areas and over 420,000 square meters of outdoors areas and roads in 90 settlements of Lombardy.

According to the field hospital Chief Medical Officier Oliviero Valoti, the aid of the Russian servicemen was very needed and useful.

"The colleagues helped a lot both in treatment of both the severely affected, whom we were able to move from the intensive care units to general units, and the easier cases. Everyone was treated at the highest level. But, most importantly, the presence of the Russian colleagues gave us confidence that, in case of increased flow of patients we will not be left alone. The Russian medics are highly effective," Valoti said. "We are incredibly pleased with out cooperation."

He disclosed that the hospital, which could only be used to treat the coronavirus infection, has very few patients remaining. The situation in the Bergamo hospital has normalized as well. The field hospital, which has 142 beds, will be temporarily mothballed, at least until the end of the year.

"We would like to preserve it for a time being in case of a new infection wave," Valoti said.

The Italian region of Bergamo was one of the most affected by the coronavirus pandemic, where, according to statistics, the fatality rate grew by over five times compared to the 2015-2019 average numbers.

Earlier, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that the Russian troops will begin to return from Italy Thursday. On March 22-25, 15 planes delivered some 100 Russian military virologists and epidemiologists, eight medical brigades, as well as diagnostics and decontamination equipment to Italy.