Italy has
borne the brunt in Europe of a disease that is now spreading across the
world
faster than it is in the central Chinese region where it was first detected
(AFP
Photo/Miguel MEDINA)
|
Rome (AFP) - Italy on Wednesday closed all schools and universities until March 15 as the number of deaths from the new coronavirus in the Mediterranean country hit 107.
The measure
is the most restrictive response to COVID-19 of any European nation and tougher
than the closure of schools -- but not universities -- taken by fellow Group of
Seven (G7) member Japan.
Italy
reported 28 more deaths on Wednesday -- the highest single day total to date.
The nation of 60 million people has now recorded over 3,000 cases and only
trails China in terms of total fatalities.
The
government's other measures included an unpopular month-long nationwide ban on
fan attendance at football matches and other major sporting events.
Prime
Minister Giuseppe Conti told the nation that Italy was able to handle the
current number of cases but needed a firmer response to keep things from
spiralling out of control.
"As
long as the numbers are low, the health system can assist (people)
effectively," Conti said in a video message posted on Facebook.
"But
in case of exponential growth, not just Italy but any other country in the
world would not be able to manage the situation."
First
death in south
Italy has
borne the brunt in Europe of a disease that is now spreading across the world
faster than it is in the central Chinese region where it was first detected
late last year.
The problem
for the Italian government is that existing restrictions -- including a
quarantine of 11 towns with 50,000 people in the north -- have failed to stop
the outbreak.
The
overwhelming majority of the fatalities have occurred in Milan's Lombardy
region and the neighbouring northern area around the cities of Bologna and
Venice.
Most of
Italy's deaths have occurred in Milan's Lombardy region and the neighbouring
northern area around the cities of Bologna and Venice (AFP Photo/Alberto
PIZZOLI)
|
But 21 of
the 22 regions have now had cases and infections are slowly reaching Italy's
less wealthy and developed south.
The
government reported the first death south of Rome on Wednesday. It came in the
Puglia region that surrounds the city of Bari in the heel of the Italian boot
on the map.
Top
government minister spent hours huddling Wednesday to chart a way out of a
health crisis that threatens to tip Italy's wheezing economy into recession and
overwhelm hospitals.
Most of the
steps adopted involve ways to avoid crowds and keep people from coming in
contact with each other outdoors.
Crowd
control
The new
instructions urge people to stay at least a metre (three feet) apart and to
avoid crowded places whenever possible.
Traditional
greetings of kissing on the cheeks or shaking hands are strongly discouraged.
Exhibits
and shows will be rescheduled -- a measure that will be especially painful for
Italy's already hard-hit hotel and restaurant industry.
Some of the
government's more mundane and common-sense measures include advice to cough and
sneeze in a handkerchief to avoid hands coming in contact with
"respiratory secretions".
Italians
are also being urged to avoid sharing bottles and not to drink from the same
cups and glasses.
The
crowd-control measures will most directly affect football matches and could
cause the most resentment in the sports-mad nation.
Italy's
Serie A has already been thrown into disarray by two weeks of postponements
that have seen some clubs not play at all and others play multiple matches in a
week.
Fans are
even being prohibited from attending the training sessions of top teams such as
Cristiano Ronaldo's Juventus in Turin.
The
government also recommended to those over 75 to stay indoors and to avoid public
places. The advice extends to those who are at least 65 and suffer from other
ailments.
A top civil
protection official told AFP that most of those who have died in the past few
days were in their 80s and 90s and were already suffering from other pathologies.
All these
measures are meant to stay in place for a month and be reviewed and possibly
fine-tuned after two weeks.
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