Italians have a message for any Americans not taking the coronavirus seriously: Don't say you weren't warned.
An unsettling new video features a group of Italians sharing what they would have told themselves 10 days ago about taking precautions to stop the spread of the coronavirus before it devastated the country.
Italy's number of coronavirus cases reached 27,980 on Monday, up 3,000 from just a day earlier, with 2,158 dead, including 350 in a single day, Italian government officials announced. The country is now the epicenter of the pandemic, with more new cases than China, where the virus originated.
Empty streets and shuttered stores have been seen across the country as 60 million people are confined to their homes, while exhausted doctors and medical staff work around the clock at overwhelmed hospitals.
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Italy is seen by some experts as being about 10 days ahead of the United States in the progression of COVID-19.
The video by the Italian filmmaking collective "A Thing By" aims to give Americans a glimpse into their future if they don't heed the warnings to stop gathering in large groups and stay at home.
"A huge mess is about to happen," one woman says.
"The worst-case scenario? That's exactly what will happen," another woman says.
"Hospitals are literally blowing up," one man adds. "Lots of infections, even among young people."
More and more states across America are instituting strict measures like closing bars, restaurants, schools and other non-essential businesses in order to get people to stay home and avoid large groups.
The Italians in the video also include suggestions of activities they have found help pass the time during quarantine. They end the clip with a final warning.
"We underestimated this," one person says. "You don't have to do the same."