The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated Italy’s economic and social inequalities hitting the poorest, vulnerable and less educated, a study published on Friday showed.

Axar.az reports citing foreign media.

According to the annual report by Italy's national statistics office Istat, the social and economic impact of the outbreak, which has claimed 35,000 lives nationwide, will cause rising unemployment and poverty and record low birth rates.

The study confirmed that the economic fallout of the pandemic on the already stagnant Italian economy will be heavy, with the country’s output seen falling by 8.3% this year.

The report confirmed that the elderly population was the most fragile and the worst-hit by the pandemic. Almost 85% of total deaths included people older than 70, while more than 56% of the victims were over 80 years old, it said.