People shop at an open air market which has reopened in Nice, France, May 12, 2020. France's death toll from the coronavirus reached 26,991 on Tuesday, overtaking Spain's 26,920 as it recorded 348 more deaths in the last 24 hours. France thus became the world's fourth worst-hit country in terms of deaths after the United States, Britain and Italy, data from the Health Ministry showed. (Photo by Serge Haouzi/Xinhua)

The Italian government on Wednesday decided to temporarily regularize illegal migrants working in the agricultural sector or as domestic helpers, to control the black market and allow them health coverage amid coronavirus pandemic.

"We have reached an important result... in the fight against crime and in putting an end to the black market in jobs," Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said to a news conference.

The migrant workers will be guaranteed "an adequate level of health care" in the face of "this exceptional health crisis," Conte said.

Every summer, thousands of African workers, as well as Bulgarians and Romanians, come to Italy to harvest fruit and vegetables.

They are often poorly paid for long hours and housed in unsanitary camps. Many are exploited by mafia groups.

The government decree also calls for urgent measures to guarantee the security and cleanliness of the workers' accommodation.

A number of NGOs and political parties called the move "an important first step... towards recognizing the rights and defense of the dignity of hundreds of thousands of foreigners present" in Italy.

AFP