Why the Italian COVID-19 deaths are so high?

What happened in Italy is truly tragic but at the same time, in some cases, nothing short of a Charlie Chaplin comedy.  Watch this in your head.  Charlie develops signs of COVID-19: dry cough and shortness of breath.  He goes to the local hospital where he is promptly admitted.  He is attended by several doctors and other caregivers.  The same workers are also looking after other seriously ill patients in the hospital—these workers become a conduit of COVID-19 from Charlie to the other patients. Three days later, Charlie walks back home safe and sound while six hospital patients are already dead, and the staff is scrambling to put ventilators on others.