Italian government officials have locked down 10 towns after people tested positive for the new coronavirus, COVID-19, and three people died from the infection.
According to reports, the virus has affected 157 people and killed three people in Italy, making it the worst-hit country in Europe.
Most of the cases have been tested positive in the region of Lombardy, while a few in Veneto, two in Emilia Romagna, two in Rome, and one in Piemonte.
The ANSA news agency reported that a 77-year-old woman who lived in Milan’s Lombardy region died on Saturday. She died hours after a 78-year-old man died near the city of Padua, Veneto.
The government officials have introduced a number of containment measures in areas affected by the COVID-19, including a prohibition on entry and exit into the affected areas.
The government suspended all public events and gatherings. It has shut down schools, museums, restaurants, businesses, and public offices.
The officials said people who have been in close contact with those infected should remain at home for a quarantine period of 14 days.
In addition, the officials announced that the police, as well as the army, would enforce the safety measures in the regions. And those who break the rules could face up to three months in prison.
Amid ongoing coronavirus concerns, the officials suspended three soccer games on Sunday in Lombardy and Veneto, which are the most affected regions.
Globally, the coronavirus has affected more than 79,560 and killed 2,619 so far, with the vast majority of the cases in China. The United States reported 35 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with no deaths.
Meanwhile, South Korean officials have called for “unprecedented” steps to combat the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. So far, South Korea has reported 766 confirmed cases and 7 deaths. South Korean President Moon Jae-in said, “The outbreak had reached a ‘crucial watershed’ and that ‘the next few days will be a very important critical moment.’”
