Italy, one of the countries most affected by Xylella fastidiosa, is unable to control the spread of the bacterium due to the lack of workers due to the health crisis of the Covid-19.
Italy denounces the brake on the fight against Xylella, which can have serious consequences for the whole part of the Mediterranean.
Carmela Riccardi, president of the Association of the Libero Anti-Xylella Committee, has been in charge of sending a letter to the Italian newspaper Corriere del Mezzogiorno informing of the situation in the country. «The coronavirus pandemic cannot be an alibi for not facing emergencies like Xylella, an epidemic that is endangering the extinction of the olive grove throughout the Mediterranean,» says Ricardi, who sets the example of the lack of immediate containment in the outbreak that has occurred in Gallipoli.
She considers that there is «great lack of attention to this problem» and warns that the economic and landscape disaster that is already affecting the Piana degli Olivi Monumentali, will be more devastating. Also, areas that can still be salvaged are not being addressed.
Ricardi affirms that they present this complaint because «after almost two years, the rules are radically changing in the Puglia region». They are not receiving any scientific or public support and it has been decided to cancel the work in infected areas.