Brescia, with Bergamo and Milan, is one of the most affected cities by the coronavirus pandemic in Italy with over eight thousand people infected and more than a thousand deaths.
Hospitals are on the brink of collapse and wards have been converted into quarantine areas to cater for coronavirus patients.
Brescia's deputy-mayor Laura Castelletti says that the true number of people affected by COVID-19 could be more than ten times higher than the official figures as many people living at home in counry areas have not been tested.
Her plea to Australians is simple: "Stay at home as much as possible. Don't wait for an order. Stay in the house".
