As many as 500 relatives of people who died of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Italy are initiating to sue regional and national authorities, seeking $122 million in damages.

In a statement, Noi Denunceremo (we will press charges) said it would file the lawsuit on Wednesday on behalf of around 500 people who lost their loved ones.

“We will ask from authorities an average compensation of 200,000 euros per person, for a total outlay of around 100 million euros,” The Coronavirus Pandemic quoted the group.

The suit, which the plaintiffs said they would present to a Rome court in the next few hours, is against Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, Health Minister Roberto Speranza and the governor of the northerly Lombardy region, Attilio Fontana.

Italy was the first Western country hit by the pandemic and so far almost 70,000 people have died due the virus in the country since the outbreak.

This case is our Christmas gift to those who should have done what they were supposed to do, but didn’t,” the group’s president Luca Fusco said in statement.