25% of the Entire Italian Population is Under Lockdown Over Coronavirus
According to
Worldometer, “The coronavirus COVID-19 is affecting 104 countries and
territories around the world and 1 international conveyance (the Diamond Princess
cruise ship harbored in Yokohama, Japan).”
Italy is being hit the most after China by the COVID-19 outbreak, especially its northern regions where over 15 million people are under forced quarantine, according to AP France.
On Sunday, March 8th, millions of Italians in the north found themselves cut off from the rest of the country, let alone the world, after the government implemented austere measures in an attempt to curb the epidemic.
Lombardy, Italy, under lockdown. Global News / Reuters
The forced quarantine comes under drastic measures the Italian government has taken to fight the spread of the virus.
The reason
Italy has been so affected is reportedly due to its high rate of old
population, the world's second after Japan, according to the World Bank. As
recorded in China and around the world, seniors are among the top casualties,
along with those with poor health.
As of Sunday, and according to Worldomenter, Italy now records over 360 fatalities, which is the highest number of deaths by COVID-19 after China.
A paramedic in front of the emergency ward of the Cremona hospital, northern Italy - Photo Credit: Claudio Furlan/Lapresse via AP
With the virus sweeping through the country, especially in its northern part, the Italian government has decided to go on full-scale measures to protect its citizens the best possible, all considered.
Among these
measures: Strictly limiting movement in and out of large areas, including the
entire Lombardy region, Venice and its surrounding areas, Milan, Parma, and
Rimini. These measures 25% of the 60 million population of Italy.
These forced quarantine measures are not limited to entering and exiting the regions. All entertainment and cultural facilities within these areas have been ordered to shut down as well, until April 3 rd , including museums, clubs, etc.
Milan Station - Via: Financial Times
That doesn’t
include restaurants and bars with the condition that “customers stay a meter away
from one another,” according to AP France.
The Italian government set the end date of these drastic measures to April 3 rd , hoping that the outbreak will end by then, with no assurance however how this is going to evolve or stop since no cure has been found so far worldwide.
For its side, the World Health Organization (WHO) just issued a statement saluting Italy's "genuine sacrifices" to halt the coronavirus outbreak in its country.
Credit: AFP / South China Morning Post
Already, the
virus has been recorded in all 22 Italian regions, with over 5,800 infections