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CORONAVIRUS: Italy Goes Into Nationwide Lockdown Until April 3

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has today broken the news that the entire country is now going into lockdown in a bid to stop the continued spread of Coronavirus across Italy.

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has today broken the news that the entire country is now going into lockdown in a bid to stop the continued spread of Coronavirus across Italy.

It comes as the total number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Italy hit 9,172 this morning, with a death toll of 463. This moves Italy past South Korea as the worst affected country after China.

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The Italian Prime Minister said that movement would be restricted across the whole of Italy and that those who want to travel outside the areas where they live would need to prove why.

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The Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte.

Essential travel may be permitted for work, health or family emergencies. All sporting events and large public gatherings are being suspended nationwide.

At this stage, all schools and universities are expected to remain closed until April 3.

“All the measures of the red zones are now extended to all of the national territories,” the Prime Minister said at a press conference last night.

“We all must give something up for the good of Italy. We have to do it now, and we’ll only be able if we all collaborate and adapt to these more stringent measures”.

The Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte

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“This is why I decided to adopt even more strong and severe measures to contain the advance… and protect the health of all citizens.”

Smartraveller is currently advising Australians to exercise a high degree of caution in Italy and to reconsider their need to travel to the region of Lombardia (Lombardy), and provinces of Modena, Parma, Piacenza, Reggio nell’ Emilia, Rimini, Pesaro and Urbino, Alessandria, Asti, Novara, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, Vercelli, Padova, Treviso, and Venezia.

This includes the cities of Milan and Venice.

Please consult with your tour company or supplier for the latest information as to travel changes within Italy.

Click here to read the Australian Government’s latest advice for travel to Italy – Though note: This was last updated yesterday.