Laurence Dollimore
ITALY is officially on lockdown as it continues to fight its coronavirus epidemic.
Travel restrictions will now be in place across the whole country, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced this evening.
It comes after the country has seen more than 9,000 confirmed cases and 463-related deaths, making it the worst-hit country in Europe.
“There will no longer be a red zone, Italy will be protected as a whole,” Conte told a press conference in Rome.
“It is about restricting movement throughout the country, with the exception of cases of absolute necessity, either for work or health reasons.”
It means, effectively, that some 60 million people will be placed under quarantine under measures that until now were only being carried out in the worst hit regions in the north and centre, reports Sky News.
All sporting events will be provisionally cancelled until April 3.
It comes after all of its ski resorts were shut earlier today as Conte announced he would use ‘massive shock therapy’ to rid of the outbreak.
In Spain, Madrid has announced it will be closing all education centres across the region and in the Basque Country, affecting some 1.5 million students.
The schools, colleges and universities will be closed for 15 days.
It comes as the number of cases in Spain has surpassed 1,000.
