Italy has imposed tough travel restrictions on its 60 million people to control the deadly coronavirus outbreak in the country.
“I am going to sign a decree that can be summarised as follows: I stay at home,” Conte said on television, announcing that the entire country would effectively be placed on lockdown from Tuesday.
These measures extend a quarantine zone that Italy had imposed on its northern heartland around Milan and the greater Lombardy region, Venice, and Pesaro Urbino on Sunday.
While religious institutions will stay open, as long as people can stay a metre from one another, ceremonies such as marriages, baptisms and funerals are banned.
But outside of here, Italy has yet to realise what can happen and what will happen at this point.
Since coronavirus first emerged in China late last year, Italy has become Europe’s hardest-hit country. It recorded 463 deaths as of Monday night, more than half of the 862 deaths reported outside China.
It now has the most cases and the highest number of deaths outside China, having surpassed Iran.
Worldwide, more than 110,000 cases have been recorded in more than 100 countries.
Canceled flights
Romania and Malta are among the countries that have suspended flights to and from Italy. British Airways on Tuesday announced the airline would stop flying to and from Italy.
Regarding the economy, Italy will approve measures worth approximately 10 billion euros ($11.35 billion) to counteract the impact of the coronavirus outbreak, the industry minister said.
Payments on mortgages will be suspended across the country, Laura Castelli, Italy’s deputy economy minister, confirmed.
