The COVID-19 resource centre, created by Elsevier, provides free information in English and Mandarin on the novel coronavirus. Elsevier grants permission to make all COVID-19-related research available in PubMed Central and other public repositories, with unrestricted reuse and analysis rights. The article discusses the global spread of SARS-CoV-2, highlighting Italy's severe impact. As of March 11, 2020, Italy had 12,462 confirmed cases and 827 deaths, with a significant proportion of patients requiring intensive care. The authors predict that if the exponential trend continues, Italy will reach 30,000 infected patients by mid-April, pushing the healthcare system to its limits. They compare Italy's situation to China's Hubei province, suggesting that the number of new infections could start to decrease within 3-4 days if the trend follows a similar path. The authors emphasize the need for urgent measures to increase hospital capacity, personnel, and resources to manage the crisis effectively.The COVID-19 resource centre, created by Elsevier, provides free information in English and Mandarin on the novel coronavirus. Elsevier grants permission to make all COVID-19-related research available in PubMed Central and other public repositories, with unrestricted reuse and analysis rights. The article discusses the global spread of SARS-CoV-2, highlighting Italy's severe impact. As of March 11, 2020, Italy had 12,462 confirmed cases and 827 deaths, with a significant proportion of patients requiring intensive care. The authors predict that if the exponential trend continues, Italy will reach 30,000 infected patients by mid-April, pushing the healthcare system to its limits. They compare Italy's situation to China's Hubei province, suggesting that the number of new infections could start to decrease within 3-4 days if the trend follows a similar path. The authors emphasize the need for urgent measures to increase hospital capacity, personnel, and resources to manage the crisis effectively.