Govt to extend coronavirus state of emergency says Conte

(ANSA) - ROME, 28 LUG - Premier Giuseppe Conte told the Senate on Tuesday that his government wants to extend Italy's coronavirus state of emergency.
    He said his cabinet, after consulting various bodies, was inclined to extend the state of emergency until October while stressing that the executive would take account of what parliament says.
    Sources said a resolution being drafted by parliamentary majority sets the extension until October 15.
    "An extension is inevitable," Conte said, adding that the decision was made on the basis of purely technical evaluations.
    "Although the contagion curve and the impact (of COVID-19) on the national health service has come down in a significant way, and this encourages us, the figures tell us that the virus continues to circulate in our country," Conte said.
    "The international situation remains worrying and what is happening in the countries close to us obliges us to be watchful" The premier admitted that the public debate about the extension of the state of emergency was "lively".
    "There is no intention to dramatize the situation or feed unjustified fears in the population or an unjustified state of alarm," he said. (ANSA).