Rapper Salmo has been hospitalized at the Policlinico San Marco in Catania, where he was treated by emergency room doctors. The reasons for the hospitalization have not been disclosed. The artist reassured his followers on social media, writing that he was feeling better and thanking the medical staff.

Salmo confirmed on Instagram that his two Sicilian concerts will go ahead as scheduled: Sunday August 9 at the Wave Summer Music in Villa Bellini, Catania, and Tuesday August 11 at the Velodromo in Palermo. In a post he wrote "Sicilia, I am here," stating he did not want to back out and intended to return to the stage.

The hospitalization comes a few days after Salmo published a video on social media in which he recounted a recurrence of basal cell carcinoma, the most common form of skin cancer, which generally does not produce distant metastases. The artist attributed his condition to the use of sunscreens, claiming they had a negative effect on his health.

Salmo's claim was rebutted by Sidemast, the Italian Society of Dermatology, which stated that UV rays are carcinogenic and the main cause of skin cancers, and that the problem lies in excessive and unprotected exposure, especially during the central hours of the day.

The debate over sunscreens had been sparked by a video published on social media by oncologist Debora Rasio. In addition to Sidemast, the Federation of General Practitioners also intervened, judging the data cited by Rasio as selectively interpreted and taken out of context. Several fact-checking websites examined the study cited in the video, finding that the authors' conclusions state the exact opposite of what was claimed. The content was labeled by Meta as containing false information, although it continued to circulate on social media.