In the Italian village of Belcastro, a decree has been issued forbidding residents from becoming seriously ill requiring urgent medical attention.

In Belcastro, a village of 1,200 inhabitants 45 kilometers from the nearest hospital, the administration has issued a decree ordering residents to avoid illness. Antonio Torchia, the mayor of Belcastro village, announced a ban on 'contracting any illness that requires urgent medical attention'. Torchia described the ban as a 'joking provocation' and said it was more effective than warning the regional authorities about the local health system.

Noting that more than half of the village's population is over the age of 65, Torchia emphasized that the doctor's office on call is irregular and that the roads to the hospital pose more risk than any disease.