Coronavirus: Ghanaian amateur footballer dies in Italy
A Ghanaian amateur footballer, Emmanuel Harrison, has died of coronavirus in Italy.
The 49-year-old passed away on Monday after being hospitalised for 10 days at the Oglio Po Hospital in Vicomoscano, a town in the northern Italian region of Lombardia.
Harrison, who operated a forklift at a local factory, EmiliaNa Parati, was said to have contracted the disease from the machine he shared with another employee, who was infected with the virus.
Italy’s Oglio Po News reported that the Ghanaian played for some amateur teams, including Maffei, where he led the attack.
The web portal described him as a passionate footballer despite passing his prime at almost 50 years.
“Emmanuel worked at the Emiliana Parati in Vicomoscano and had made himself well-liked by everyone, colleagues in the factory, and dressing room companions.”
“His physique, as well as his undoubted skills of a striker, helped him,” the report said.
Harrison had plans of moving to London in the United Kingdom where his wife and three children live, but had been constrained by paperwork.
Harrison is the third Ghanaian in Italy, and the fifth Ghanaian abroad to have died from the disease.
Two others have shed the mortal coil in Denmark and the United States.
Coronavirus kills three Ghanaians abroad – Foreign Affairs Ministry
Italy took over from China as the epicentre of coronavirus, which has forced the European country to quarantine millions of its people.
Almost 12,000 have died from the deadly pandemic with over 100,000 infections.
With the number of patients overstretching the capabilities of the country’s healthcare system, hundreds of people are dying daily from COVID-19.