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 The measures, announced late on Monday by Prime Minister Giuseppe
Conte, widen steps already taken in the rich northern region of
Lombardy and parts of neighboring provinces, clamping down on
movement and closing public spaces.
"The future of Italy is in our hands. Let us all do our part, by
giving up something for our collective good," Conte said in a tweet,
encouraging people to take personal responsibility.
For at least the next three weeks, people have been told to move
around only for reasons of work, for health needs or emergencies or
else stay at home. Anyone traveling will have to fill in a document
declaring their reasons and carry it with them.
Large gatherings and outdoor events, including sports, have been
banned, while bars and restaurants will have to close from 6 p.m.
Schools and universities will remain closed until April 3.
"The whole of Italy is closed now," was the headline in the Corriere
della Sera newspaper.
As day broke, the streets of Rome were eerily much quieter than
normal, with cars circulating freely under a clear blue sky in the
normally traffic-clogged center, reflecting the atmosphere in the
financial capital Milan, already under stricter controls.
Rome commuters could easily find seats in the usually jam-packed
underground system during the morning rush hours.
People wearing masks in the streets of the capital was more
widespread than before.
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Shortly after the measures were announced, shoppers in Rome rushed to late-night
supermarkets to stock up on food and basic necessities, promoting the government
to declare that supplies would be guaranteed and urging people not to panic buy.
Shops are allowed to remain open as long as customers maintain a minimum
distance of a meter between them.
The measures came after the latest data showed the coronavirus outbreak
continuing to rise, with 9,172 positive cases recorded as of Monday and 463
deaths, the second highest-level in the world after China.
The World Health Organization has praised Italy's "aggressive" response to the
crisis, since the first cases emerged near Milan almost three weeks ago but the
economic cost has been huge.
On Monday, the Milan stock exchange dropped over 11% and Italy's borrowing costs
shot up, reviving fears that an economy already on the brink of recession and
struggling under the euro zone's second-heaviest debt pile could be plunged into
crisis.
Conte has already promised "massive shock therapy" to help deal with the
immediate economic impact of the crisis and on Tuesday, Industry Minister
Stefano Patuanelli said the government would approve measures worth around 10
billion euros.
(Writing by James Mackenzie; Editing by Nick Macfie)
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