More or less 100 Filipinos in Italy, among those hardest hit by the novel coronavirus pandemic, expressed desire to join the government's repatriation program, an envoy of Manila said Monday.

This tally includes Filipino workers who lost their jobs when Italy locked down to stop the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), said Philippine Consul Mersole Mellejor.

"Ito po ay bumaba nang bahagya dahil kung alam niyo, ang Italy, matatapos na ang lockdown sa a-tres ng Mayo," he told DZMM.

(This number went down slightly because Italy will end its lockdown on May 3.)

The government aims to bring them home on April 28, he said.

Some 109 Filipinos in Italy have caught COVID-19. Authorities are verifying the cause of death of 19 Filipinos, which may be linked to the respiratory disease, added Mellejor.

Italy is host to some 120,000 Filipinos, mostly employed in households and the service sector, he said.

DZMM, April 27, 2020