New cases of coronavirus, which has so far mainly affected northern Italy, have been detected in Tuscany and Sicily, authorities announced on Tuesday 25 April.

These confirmed cases are few, however: Tuscany has two in Florence and Pistoia, and Sicily only one, a tourist from Bergamo, in the north-west of the country, who was in a hotel in Palermo and whose husband has been tested negative. The group with which she was traveling was quarantined, but only people from the hotel who had contact with the tourist were placed in solitary confinement.

The latest official report shows 283 cases including seven deaths already announced, an increase of 54 cases compared to Monday. Lombardy remains the main focus in the peninsula with 212 cases including six deaths (+40 compared to Monday).

Flaws in the organization of a Lombard hospital

The President of the Italian Council, Giuseppe Conte, has suggested that flaws in the organization of a hospital in Lombardy may have aggravated the current health crisis. He said the establishment, which he did not identify, may have "contributed to the spread". He added that he could consider withdrawing certain powers from the regions over health issues, angering the far-right League, which runs Lombardy as well as Veneto.

The President of the Chamber of Deputies and member of the League Riccardo Molinari denounced "almost fascist" remarks by the President of the Council. The governor of Lombardy, Attilio Fontana, denounced a "strategy of despair" on the part of Giuseppe Conte, who, according to him, tries to make forget the dysfunctions at the head of the government.

The main focus of the epidemic has been identified in Codogno, near Lodi, 60 km south of Milan. It was in this locality of 15,000 inhabitants that Mattia, a 38-year-old manager considered to be "patient 1", was hospitalized last Wednesday, from which arises the majority of cases recorded in Lombardy.

Meeting in Rome

Officials from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Union were to meet Tuesday in Rome to discuss the epidemic that started in China in December, but which now affects around 30 other countries and territories.

Four border countries will participate in the meeting as well as Croatia (maritime border), Germany, the European Union and a team from WHO (World Health Organization). The aim is to define "common lines of action" in the face of the epidemic, while European countries have so far reacted in dispersed order.

Before this meeting, the Prime Minister warned that "restrictions" on the free movement of Italians from foreign states would be "unjust" and "unacceptable". "We cannot accept it," he said. "Italy can let its citizens travel peacefully because we are a country which has taken effective measures and which has an excellent health system."

France has issued a series of recommendations for people returning from northern Italy, in particular asking them to avoid "any unnecessary trip". These recommendations relate to the 14 days following the return, a period deemed sufficient to cover the incubation period of the virus. The coronavirus epidemic "is on our doorstep," warned French Minister Olivier Véran on Tuesday before leaving for Rome. "We are not closing the borders because it would not make sense."

With Reuters and AFP

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