Italy Locks Down 16 Million People Until at Least April 3 in Attempt to Contain Coronavirus

Italy has locked down 16 million people in its northern regions in an attempt to contain the coronavirus.

The BBC reports: “Anyone living in Lombardy and 14 other central and northern provinces will need special permission to travel. Milan and Venice are both affected. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte also announced the closure of schools, gyms, museums, nightclubs and other venues across the whole country. The measures, the most radical taken outside China, will last until 3 April.”

CNN adds: “The announcement came after Italy saw a dramatic spike of 1,247 confirmed novel coronavirus cases on Saturday, the Civil Protection Department said in a statement.The country has now recorded 5,883 cases and 233 deaths, the most fatalities outside mainland China and the biggest outbreak in Europe. Announcing the new measures, Conte said: ‘There will be an obligation to avoid any movement of people who are either entering or leaving’ the affected areas. ‘Even within the areas moving around will occur only for essential work or health reasons,’ he said, according to Reuters.”