Italy’s Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte, has announced a sweeping quarantine lockdown across 15 provinces, including all of the Lombardy region in the north. The cities of Milan and Venice are both affected. The lockdown sees 16 million people restricted in a bid to contain the escalating outbreak of coronavirus (Covid-19).
The new laws are currently in effect until 3 April 2020.
The Italian government’s lockdown measures also prohibit entry and exit to affected areas, and bans weddings and funerals and closed cinemas, gyms, pubs and museums. Violation of the new law can result in arrest and a fine.
“We want to guarantee the health of our citizens. We understand that these measures will impose sacrifices, sometimes small and sometimes very big,” Mr Conte said on Sunday.
“But this is a time where we must take responsibility for ourselves.”
Mr Conte said the 14 provinces affected were Modena, Parma, Piacenza, Reggio Emilia, Rimini, Pesaro and Urbino, Alessandria, Asti, Novara, Verbano Cusio Ossola, Vercelli, Padua, Treviso and Venice.
“There will be no movement in or out of these areas, or within them, unless for proven, work-related reasons emergencies or health reasons,” Mr Conte said.
“We are facing an emergency, a national emergency. We have to limit the spread of the virus and prevent our hospitals from being overwhelmed.”
Last week the Italian government announced the closure of all schools and universities across the country for 10 days.
La Scala Opera House Milan – Tourism Italy
