Italy tightens lockdown, closes all non-essential businesses, after dramatic increase of deaths
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Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Saturday further intensified the lockdown, closing all non-essential businesses, after Italy registered almost 800 coronavirus deaths in 24 hours.
The premier said supermarkets, pharmacies, food stores, banks, post offices and transport services will keep going.
While most shops had already been closed down by the lockdown, many factories had continued to operate.
re will be roadblocks in Rome to stop Romans taking advantage of the fine weather to drive off on weekend trips to tourist spots near the capital or the seaside, Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi said Friday.
“There will be a reinforced guard on the main roads” out of the capital, she said on Italian TV.
“These restrictions are needed because there are those who flout the (lockdown) rules,” she said.
Rome police said Friday they would start checking all cars circulating in the Italian capital for coronavirus lockdown compliance from Saturday. Hitherto police in the capital had been carrying out random checks to make sure there were no more than two people in vehicles, and in the front and the back. The new checks will mean some tailbacks, police said.
The municipal police also said they would introduce more rigorous checks on people moving about on foot in the capital, stopping them trying to get into closed parks and making sure they respect social distancing and avoid public gatherings when exercising. The checks are part of a clampdown to ensure compliance with government lockdown measures, which are set to be beefed up.
