Premier Giuseppe Conte told the Lower
House on Monday that his government will impose more
restrictions because the spread of COVID-19 is continuing to
rise including banning travel to at-risk regions.
"The contagion curve has made it necessary for us to prepare a
new body of restrictive measures and adopt them before
Wednesday," Conte said.
"The curve is rising fast in each continent.
"The EU is one of the areas hit hardest by the second wave.
"In the last few weeks the increase in COVID cases has been of
150 contagions for every 100,00 inhabitants and the situation in
our country is deteriorating.
"The upswing has led to a significant multiplication in
contagions".
Conte said Italy was heading towards a scenario 4 situation
where lockdowns are usually ordered.
He said intensive care would be a at risk in 15 regions within a
month.
He said strategies would be "modulated" with the regions.
Shows and museums will be closed at a national level, the
premier said.
Middle and secondary schools will be ordered to use distance
learning only.
The number of people allowed on public transport will be cut by
half.
After sometimes violent protests against previous measures,
Conte said "we understand people's anger but there should be no
arguing about defending people's health".
He added "I urge people to remain united in a dramatic time".
Conte aid the government would make "every financial effort" to
support employment.
The new package is also set to include a nationwide curfew at
night kicking in at 21:00, Labour Undersecretary Francesca
Puglisi told Sky TV on Monday.
There would be exemptions for people who need to be out for work
reasons.
Italy has been registering around 30,000 new cases of the
coronavirus each day over the last few days.
Conte has been in talks with regional governors about the
measures.
There was reportedly disagreement during the talks between the
governors, who wanted the measures to be uniform nationwide, and
Conte, who is said to have wanted sealed-off 'red zones' to be
created on the basis of contagion rates.
There have been violent protests in several Italian cities after
the government's previous restrictions, which include the
closure of theatres, cinemas, swimming polls and gyms and the
obligation for restaurants and bars to stop serving at 18:00,
and curfews imposed by some regions.
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