"Tutti a casa" (all at home), "all closed": the headlines of the Italian press summarize, Tuesday, March 10, the new decree signed by the head of government Giuseppe Conte. Thus extend to all Italy the drastic measures which confined since Sunday a quarter of the population in the north of the country.

"The whole of Italy will become a protected area," said the president of the Council of Ministers in a serious tone during a press point at the seat of government in Rome.

All Italians must "avoid travel" except to go to work, to get supplies or for medical care. Gatherings are also prohibited.

Italy, a member of the G7, thus becomes the first country on the planet to generalize such draconian measures in an attempt to halt the progression of the Covid-19. It has already killed 463 people and more than 9,000 cases in the peninsula.

As of Monday evening, in Rome or Naples, supermarkets were stormed by Italians frightened by the consequences of this new decree.

China has also confined more than 50 million people to their homes in Hubei, the province from which the epidemic started, but no country has taken such measures nationwide. .

Prisons under tension

Human rights activists warned on Monday of a risk of widespread rebellion in Italian prisons linked to fears of coronavirus, after riots in several prisons that left several dead among detainees.

Detainees from at least ten prisons across the country rebelled on Sunday over government measures to prevent the virus from entering the prison system. Measures providing in particular for the suspension of family visits and temporary absences.

The Italian health authorities announced Monday evening the distribution from Tuesday of "100,000 masks" in the penitentiaries and the erection of 80 tents to filter the entrances of the prisoners to detect possible cases of contamination.

At least three detainees died during or after the clashes at Sant'Anna prison in Modena, according to the prisoners' rights group Antigone, while the daily La Repubblica reported six deaths, citing police sources.

With AFP

The France 24 week summary invites you to come back to the news that marked the week

I subscribe

Download the app

google-play-badge_FR