A man has died after going to a Covid party in order to get purposely infected.
The 55-year-old died in Austria after attending the party in the South Tyrol region of northern Italy.
He is one of several who had to be hospitalised following a number of Covid parties taking place in the country over recent weeks.
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At least three other people, including a young child, have reportedly been hospitalised in the Alpine region.
It's believed that lots of anti-vaxxers in Italy are deliberately becoming infected so they can obtain something called a 'green pass', which is now required for people to work and enjoy leisure activities in the country.
But experts are now urging people to take proper precautions and not put themselves at risk unnecessarily.
Patrick Franzoni, coordinator of the anti-Covid unit in Bolzano, told local media: "They don't realise that the virus is very dangerous even in children and young people.
"There are long-term consequences and even young people can end up in hospital.
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"Here we have a child hospitalised in paediatrics, while a 55-year-old died in Austria after being infected during a corona party."
According to reports, Covid parties are also said to be rife in Austria and Germany, with parents bringing their children along in the hope that they too will get infected.
This comes after the Austrian government announced a return to lockdown for all unvaccinated citizens.
As of 15 November, around two million people were ordered to stay at home except for very specific reasons, such as to go to work, to the shops or to get some exercise.
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Police were also given the powers to check up on people while out and about to make sure they were only doing so if they were fully vaccinated or for one of the permitted reasons.
Anyone caught breaching lockdown rules can now face fines ranging from €500 - €3600 (£422 - £3039).
Footage emerged last week, which showed police officers swarming through shop floors and accosting groups of people as they keep a careful eye on shoppers and enforce the strict new rules.
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A group of three police officers can be seen demanding proof of vaccination from shoppers who appear to hold out their vaccine passports.
Elsewhere, additional footage can be seen of police setting up roadside checks, forcing drivers to stop their cars and give proof they have been jabbed to allow them to be out and about.
"It can happen any time and anywhere," the interior minister, Karl Nehammer of the Austrian People's party, said of the police checks.
"Every citizen has to expect to be checked."
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Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg also said: "We are not taking this step lightly, but unfortunately it is necessary.
"In reality, we have told one-third of the population: you will not leave your [home] apart for certain reasons.
"That is a massive reduction in contacts between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated."
According to the government, the decision was taken due to rising numbers of Covid cases over recent weeks. It is feared that the country's health system could become overwhelmed if action isn't taken.
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: covid, Science, lockdown, Pandemic, Austria, Weird, Politics, Health, Italy