An Italian man is the first victim of COVID-19 in South Australia

Francesco Ferraro passed away on Monday evening at the Royal Adelaide Hospital after contracting the virus at a wedding celebrated in another state.

Francesco Ferraro with his wife and a granddaughter

Francesco Ferraro with his wife and a granddaughter Source: Supplied

South Australia's first COVID-19 victim is a 75-year-old man from Adelaide, a father of three and a grandfather of eight.

Francesco Ferraro passed away after being hospitalized with symptoms related to the virus.

His son-in-law Enrico Paterni confirmed to SBS Italian that the man had gone to a wedding in Melbourne on Saturday 14 March and that, despite a slight form of diabetes, he was in excellent health condition.
He was a good person, a real Italian. Talking to him was like being in Italy
His conditions worsened after returning to Adelaide and after a few days the man was rushed to Royal Adelaide Hospital with high fever.

Health workers were forced to intubate him in intensive care and put him in a pharmacological coma. The 75-year-old passed away on Monday evening.
Nobody could see him, it was heartbreaking
Francesco was born in San Marco dei Cavoti in the province of Benevento and arrived in Adelaide in the early 1960s.

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By Carlo Oreglia

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