The coronavirus outbreak in northern Italy has so overwhelmed the public health system that officials are taking extraordinary measures to care for the sick.

The region of Lombardy has been the epicenter of Italys outbreak, registering the first positive test of the northern cluster and now counting 984 of Italy's 1,694 cases.

Most alarmingly, 10% of Lombardy's doctors and nurses are out of commission, because they tested positive for the virus and are in quarantine, said the region's top health official, Giulio Gallera.

Lombardy's regional government has asked the central government to reactivate retired doctors and nurses and get them back on the payroll. In addition, nursing students who were due to take their final exams next month are now expected to graduate in the coming days so they can be immediately put to work, Gallera said.

"We'll take anyone: old, young. We need personnel, especially qualified doctors,” Gallera told reporters.