Italy has become the center of coronavirus in Europe, and the country is now facing a lockdown due to the epidemic. The number of citizens ranges around 60 million, and the reported cases have reached an amount as high as 9172. 

Source: Global Herald

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has enforced the “I Stay Home” policy and introduced several precautions for the locals on Monday night. The lockdown began on March 10 and will tentatively last till April 3. In a press conference, Conte said, “All the measures of the red zones are now extended to all of the national territory.”

Source: Bangkok Post

Italy has more cases than any other country in the world except China. All 20 regions have reported confirmed cases of coronavirus, and there is a sense of desperation in the air. All events have been cancelled until further notice and people are told not to leave home under any circumstances.

Source: Scroll.in

Travelling has also been restricted, and you have to get a special permit for “urgent verifiable work situations and emergencies or health reasons”. If anyone is found to defy the laws set by the government, they’ll have to pay a heavy fine and might go to jail for up to 3 months. All major travel routes like toll booths, motorways, airports and train stations will now have checkpoints.

Source: Web24 News

Places like Milan, Venice, Padua, Parma and Rimini which were once the centre of tourism have now been declared “red zone” and almost all the citizens are placed under special conditions.

Source: Mashable

Public transport is operating as per schedule, but people are advised to maintain “social distance” which means they should leave at least a 1-meter gap between them and the other person.

Source: Mashable

Restaurants and other public places will close in the evening, and any outdoor activity like sports, gym, theater, cinema, festivals will remain postponed until further notice. Italian Twitter is filled with the hashtag #iostoacasa which translates to “I’m staying at home”, encouraging others to do the same.

Source: Mashable

Prime Minister Conte believes that they can tackle the virus if they employ the right measures. He said, “We have adopted a new decision based on an assumption: that there is no time,” Conte said. “Our habits, therefore, must be changed. They must be changed now.”

Source: Mashable

Europe has also isolated Italy and travel to the country has been restricted. La Repubblica reported that Conte is hopeful as he has been thinking about Winston Churchill and quoted his famous line, “It is our darkest hour, but we will make it.”