Iran Press/Europe: Italy extended its quarantine measures to the whole country on Monday night 9 March, only two days after it imposed a lockdown on much of the country’s north, making it the first country in the world to place its entire territory under quarantine to contain the coronavirus epidemic.
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced on Tuesday morning 10 March that all public events would be banned, including sporting events. The likes of theatres, gyms, pools, schools, universities and other places where people may congregate are also being ordered to close.
Movement for the nation's 60 million people will only be allowed if it is essential for work or for emergencies. Conte said people should remain indoors, and preferably, in their homes. Public transport will, however, reportedly continue to operate.
Public and famous historic places are empty of tourists, damaging the country's economy
The number of coronavirus cases in Italy shot past 9,000 on Monday, forcing Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte to put the entire country on lockdown.
Over the weekend, the government quarantined the northern region of Lombardy and 14 neighboring provinces. On Monday, as 463 people were killed by the COVID-19 virus, Conte extended the restriction zone to encompass the whole country of over 60 million people, as BBC reported.
The coronavirus erupted in Wuhan, China, late last year and has since infected more than 111,000 people globally and led to over 3,900 deaths. As of Monday 9 March, Italy has been the worst-hit country outside of Asia.
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