Campania’s Covid-19 Response: De Luca Condemns Media Bias and Political Opportunism

During his customary Friday social media address, Campania’s President Vincenzo De Luca addressed the ongoing Covid-19 emergency, focusing heavily on refuting what he terms a sustained media assault against the region. He denounced persistent negative media coverage, asserting that the Campania region is unfairly targeted, urging resilience against these deliberate misrepresentations. Presenting current data, he highlighted approximately 3900 new infections from nearly 25,000 tests, yielding a positivity rate of 16.5%, a figure he noted has been gradually declining. He underscored the region’s adequate intensive care capacity (190 occupied beds out of 590 available, a 27% occupancy rate), and emphasized Campania’s comparatively low Covid-19 mortality rate, even during the September-November period.

De Luca then recounted the contrasting approaches to managing the second wave. He criticized the national government’s incremental strategy, arguing that a more decisive, month-long lockdown in October would have significantly curtailed the spread and ultimately saved lives. He expressed frustration over the belated school closures and the absence of sufficient police and military support for enforcing restrictions. He directly blamed the government’s delayed response for exacerbating the crisis, noting that those who initially downplayed the situation now posture as strict enforcers.

De Luca forcefully condemned the politically motivated attacks, highlighting a recent incident involving crowded Naples’ seafront where individuals disregarded mask mandates. He condemned the lack of enforcement by local authorities, blaming this lapse for fuelling a public perception justifying stronger measures, potentially a complete lockdown. He specifically criticized certain mayors for prioritizing self-promotion over effective governance. He refuted rumors, including those circulating about alleged falsified data and the purported need for an army field hospital, attributing these to orchestrated smear campaigns. He dismissed reports of government inspectors scrutinizing the data as a preventative measure against political manipulation, rather than an investigation into potential discrepancies. He described the incident involving a video recording taken inside the Cardarelli hospital showing a deceased patient as another act of blatant media exploitation. He stressed the government’s decision to avoid a region-wide lockdown, not Campania’s, and emphasized the lack of benefit of a current shutdown compared to an earlier preventative measure.

He leveled harsh criticism at Minister Luigi Di Maio, even suggesting his presence in the government was detrimental, alluding to past criticisms of Campania’s healthcare infrastructure. De Luca extended a public invitation to debate the issues raised. He concluded by calling for responsible citizen behavior and announcing a new regional ordinance requiring prescriptions for private molecular tests, while leaving open the possibility of imminent stricter local restrictions. He lamented the resurgence of anti-southern Italy sentiment fueling this negative media portrayal.