Italy has the most coronavirus cases in Europe and highest death toll but rather than succumb to fear, some wisecracking Italians have opted to laugh in the face of danger with a slew of parodies, jokes and general silliness. In the economic capital Milan, just 60 kilometres from from the main outbreak, bars have transformed aperitivo, the Italian version of happy hour, into "aperitiviruses", where aperitifs and snacks can be bought at a discount.

At the Gelateria Infinito shop on the outskirts of Cremona - another area of the Lombardy region reporting many cases - customers can get a "Corona Cake", which features the distinctive crown-like spikes of the COVID-19 virus. "We know that this is a serious issue, but sadness and fear won't solve problems," owners Andrea Schirali and his wife Daniela told local media. "It doesn't matter if we sell it or not. What matters is that it makes you smile and slightly eases the tensions that have arisen "