Kate Langbroek: The tragedy of Italy’s coronavirus lockdown in one photo

Kate Langbroek and her family have been in lockdown in Bologna, Italy, for two weeks as coronavirus spreads across the country.

And on Saturday, the 54-year-old radio host shared a bittersweet photo to Instagram of a local trattoria that had been forced to close due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Kate told her followers it was heartbreaking to see the menu still in the window, which she said was a poignant reminder of ‘the things we took for granted’.

The tragedy of Italy’s coronavirus lockdown in one photo: Kate Langbroek has shared a picture of the heartbreaking sign in the ‘little restaurant downstairs’ that brought her to tears

‘This little restaurant downstairs from our apartment is (of course) closed but has their menu still in the window. It makes me teary,’ she wrote in the caption.

‘Was it really only a few weeks ago that we could breeze in there, eat and enjoy the company of others? Oh, the things we took for granted.’ 

More people have died from COVID-19 in Italy than in China, where the virus was first identified in December.

Kate found itwas heartbreaking to see the menu still in the window of a local trattoria that had been forced closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. She said was a poignant reminder of 'the things we took for granted'

Bittersweet: Kate said it was heartbreaking to see the menu still in the window of a local trattoria that had been forced to close due to the COVID-19 outbreak. She told her Instagram followers it was a poignant reminder of ‘the things we took for granted’

As of Saturday night, there are more than 53,500 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Italy, including approximately 4,800 deaths. 

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte ordered all shops, bars and restaurants to close on March 11 in response to the rising death toll.

Only stores selling ‘basic necessities’, such as pharmacies and supermarkets, are staying open.

It comes after Kate revealed on Wednesday that a second person in her ‘immediate circle’ had been diagnosed with coronavirus in Bologna, where she has been living with her family since early 2019. 

Closing in: It comes after Kate revealed on Wednesday that a second person in her 'immediate circle' had been diagnosed with coronavirus in Bologna, where she has been living with her family since early 2019. Pictured with her husband, Peter Allen Lewis

Closing in: It comes after Kate revealed on Wednesday that a second person in her ‘immediate circle’ had been diagnosed with coronavirus in Bologna, where she has been living with her family since early 2019. Pictured with her husband, Peter Allen Lewis

She told her Instagram followers that the father of one of her children’s school friends had tested positive for COVID-19.

Schools have been closed in Italy for some time. 

Kate shared a text message she had received from the wife of the infected man, which read: ‘Hallo to everyone. My son has already told his friends that my husband has caught Covid. He is at the hospital but he is doing fine.

‘I just wanted to share the news with you all personally.’

Pandemic: Kate and her family have been in lockdown in their Bologna apartment for two weeks as coronavirus spreads across the country

Pandemic: Kate and her family have been in lockdown in their Bologna apartment for two weeks as coronavirus spreads across the country

'He is at the hospital': Kate told her Instagram followers on Wednesday that the father of one of her children's friends had tested positive for COVID-19. She shared this text message she'd received from the wife of the infected man

‘He is at the hospital’: Kate told her Instagram followers on Wednesday that the father of one of her children’s friends had tested positive for COVID-19. She shared this text message she’d received from the wife of the infected man

Kate explained this was the second case of COVID-19 in her ‘immediate circle’, after her yoga instructor was hospitalised with the virus.

Days earlier, she had hit back at an Internet troll who mocked her for moving overseas with her family before the coronavirus pandemic.

The troll wrote: ‘GREAT DECISION TO GO TO ITALY! I WONDER WHO DROVE THAT DECISION! #KARMA LOL.

‘Let’s spend 12 months in ITALY, that’s a great idea for a lifestyle change. How’s that working for you? In hindsight? Lol.’  

Worrying development: Kate explained this was the second case of COVID-19 in her 'immediate circle', after her yoga instructor was hospitalised with the virus

Worrying development: Kate explained this was the second case of COVID-19 in her ‘immediate circle’, after her yoga instructor was hospitalised with the virus

'GREAT DECISION TO GO TO ITALY!' Days earlier, she had hit back at an Internet troll who mocked her for moving overseas with her family before the coronavirus pandemic

‘GREAT DECISION TO GO TO ITALY!’ Days earlier, she had hit back at an Internet troll who mocked her for moving overseas with her family before the coronavirus pandemic

Taking a stand: The mother-of-four, who relocated to Italy a full year before COVID-19 arrived in Europe, replied: 'Are you insane? Or just nasty?'

Taking a stand: The mother-of-four, who relocated to Italy a full year before COVID-19 arrived in Europe, replied: ‘Are you insane? Or just nasty?’

The mother-of-four, who relocated to Italy a full year before COVID-19 arrived in Europe, replied: ‘Are you insane? Or just nasty?’ 

Kate lives in Bologna, in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, which has become a ghost city amid the global health crisis.

She has been documenting her experience on Instagram, sharing confronting photos of abandoned streets and empty churches, as well as describing some of the restrictions being enforced in public spaces.

Quarantine: On Thursday, Kate shared this photo of her family dinner from day 16 of lockdown

Quarantine: On Thursday, Kate shared this photo of her family dinner from day 16 of lockdown

Abandoned: Kate lives in Bologna, in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, which has become a ghost city amid the global health crisis

Abandoned: Kate lives in Bologna, in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, which has become a ghost city amid the global health crisis

A city in lockdown: She has been documenting her experience on Instagram, sharing confronting photos of abandoned streets and empty churches, as well as describing some of the restrictions being enforced in public spaces

A city in lockdown: She has been documenting her experience on Instagram, sharing confronting photos of abandoned streets and empty churches, as well as describing some of the restrictions being enforced in public spaces

Meanwhile, she has been home schooling her children in recent weeks due to the nationwide closure of education facilities.

Kate and her husband, Peter Allen Lewis, relocated to Italy in January 2019 with their children, Lewis, Sunday, Artie and Jan, for what was supposed to be a ‘gap year’, but they have since extended their stay for another 12 months.

Italy has now overtaken China as the country with the most coronavirus deaths.

Staying put: Kate has been home schooling her children in recent weeks due to the nationwide closure of education facilities

Staying put: Kate has been home schooling her children in recent weeks due to the nationwide closure of education facilities

Staying put: Kate has been home schooling her children in recent weeks due to the nationwide closure of education facilities

Expat life: Kate's family (pictured) relocated to Italy in January 2019 for what was supposed to be a 'gap year', but they have since extended their stay for another 12 months

Expat life: Kate’s family (pictured) relocated to Italy in January 2019 for what was supposed to be a ‘gap year’, but they have since extended their stay for another 12 months

The country is in the middle of an unprecedented national lockdown that will be extended beyond the April 3 deadline, Prime Minister Conte said last week.

COVID-19 was first identified in Wuhan, China, in December and has since spread to more than 300,000 people worldwide, and killed approximately 13,025.

It was recognised as a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11. 

Extreme measures: Italy is in the middle of an unprecedented national lockdown that will be extended beyond the April 3 deadline, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said last week

Extreme measures: Italy is in the middle of an unprecedented national lockdown that will be extended beyond the April 3 deadline, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said last week

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk