Doctors in Italy have described hospitals struggling to cope with coronavirus patients, where the number of ICU beds have tripled and GPs are being called into wards to help out.

“All the resuscitation bays are full. They’re having to triage, deciding who to intubate and who to let die,” says one doctor in a recording sent to UK news site, ITV.

In one hospital, pressure on resources means anyone over 60 is not being intubated, and there have been many cases of “horrible pneumonias” in young people with no comorbidities, the unnamed doctor says.

Italy has been the worst hit country outside of China, with cases increasing from 322 to 12,000 in just over two weeks, including 827 deaths.