As the coronavirus gains ground in Italy, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte took drastic measures to limit the epidemic on Monday evening. The head of government notably called on all Italians to "avoid displacement" on the national territory to contain it, and ordered a "ban on assembly". The latest Italian assessment reports more than 9,000 cases and 463 deaths.
"The whole of Italy becomes a protected area"
"I am going to sign a decree which can be summarized as follows: 'I am staying at home'. There will no longer be a 'red zone on the peninsula' (...) The whole of Italy will become a protected zone" , he affirmed in a serious tone during a press briefing at the seat of the government. "There is no more time to waste. The numbers tell us that we have a significant increase in cases of contagion, people hospitalized in intensive care and unfortunately also dead people. We must change our habits. They must change now ", he warned. That is why "I decided to immediately adopt even more severe, stronger measures," he continued.
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These new draconian measures, the implementation of which the Prime Minister has not specified, will be detailed in a decree which will come into effect on Tuesday throughout Italy, the second most affected country after China with more than 9,000 cases including 463 dead. However, these measures do not provide "to limit public transport, in order to guarantee the continuity" of economic activity "and to allow people to go to work," said the Prime Minister.
Schools and universities closed until April 3
Already closed since March 4, Italian schools and universities were supposed to reopen on March 15. But Giuseppe Conte decided otherwise and announced the extension of these closings until April 3.
The suspended football championship
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Monday evening suspended the football championship as part of a package to stem the country's coronavirus epidemic.
"There is no reason why matches and sporting events should continue and I am thinking of the football championship. I am sorry but all Tifosi must take note of this," said Conte at a conference. release, without mentioning the cases of the Champions League or Europa League matches planned in Italy in the coming weeks, or other sports.
These new draconian measures, the implementation of which the Prime Minister has not specified, will be detailed in a decree which will come into force on Tuesday throughout Italy, the second most affected country after China.