Italy Imposes Lockdown on 16 Million People as Coronavirus Cases Surge

A decree declared by Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has effectively placed many in northern Italian Provinces under a massive lockdown, next to Korea because of the growing threat of coronavirus.

Declaring a wide lockdown will affect Lombardy and 14 provinces, in wide restriction when it comes to travelling. Next to mainland China, this is the next most strict lockdowns to control the rampaging COVID-19.

According to CNN, there is no exact date when the lockdown will be implemented.

The declaration was done as the uptick of 1,247 confirmed novel coronavirus cases last Saturday, confirmed by the Civil Protection Department in a statement.

So far, the tally for Italy is now 5,883 cases and 233 deaths, the worst outside of mainland China where the coronavirus came from.

Conte commented that all travel will be restricted in areas affected by the lockdown. Only going to work or the hospital is allowed cases to leave the home, as Reuter's reported on the Prime Minister's statement.

Most of the lockdown will be in northern Italian Provinces and other efforts will be implemented to 'delay' the virus will be in effect in all of Italy. Suspension of schools, university classes, theatres and cinemas, as well as bars, nightclubs, and sports events. Religious ceremonies, including funerals, will be put off.

Other European countries are in the grip of a rising contagion that is getting hard to 'contain' an 'delay'. In Italy, the lockdown is a way to slow down the virus and keep it from spreading faster.

Also read: Vatican Confirms First Coronavirus Case, Pope Francis Health a Primary Concern

The French general director of health, Jerome Salomon, verified the deaths of 16 souls and 949 positive infections in France, with Germany that has 795 cases of the COVID-19. In the UK, a second victim was claimed by the virus on Saturday, with 206 cases that were reported by British officials. Implementing a lockdown in Italy is the strictest measure in any European.

Other details of the Italian lockdown

The specifics of the lockdown by the Italian government was procured by 'Italy's Corriere Della Sera newspaper and other media' that confirmed going and leaving these affected areas are enforced. One of those affected is Milan (1.4 million population), and the Lombardy region with 10 million people.

Added areas to the lockdown will include parts of the Veneto region around Venice, and Emilia-Romagna's Parma and Rimini. All of these localities have a total of 560,000 people who live there.

These measures were prompted by the increasing number of cases there, as the second country in Europe facing this problem. According to the Civil Protection Agency, the positive case increased to 1,200 within one day. One of the fastest number of cases, when it was detected 14-days before.

Added number to the deaths from COVID-19, from Milan, is about 241, positive cases are 6245 with 612 (critical condition) in danger. More was expected as officials told the press, that might arise in one day, to n be declared Sunday.

Since the coronavirus outbreak went amuck 15 days ago, the Prime Minister of Italy declared the worst possible scenario 'lockdown', to delay when the spread of the COVID-19 is hard to contain.