Alitalia suspends all operations from Malpensa, Albania confirms first coronavirus cases
The number of people to have died from the coronavirus in Italy has shot up by 133 in a day to 366, officials say. The total number of infections leapt 25% to 7,375 from 5,883, according to the Civil Protection agency.
Albania reported its first coronavirus infections on Monday, in a father and son who had returned from Italy.
The two were in stable condition and they did not have complications, the health ministry said.
Before the confirmation of the first two cases, health officials had tested some 60 cases with no sign of the virus. More than 400,000 Albanians live in neighboring Italy across the Adriatic Sea.
Italy’s national carrier Alitalia said it would suspend all operations from Malpensa from Monday and Linate would only serve domestic routes. International flights would continue to and from Rome.
Up to 16 million people in Lombardy and 14 provinces need special permission to travel under new quarantine rules.
See also: Air Malta suspends all daily flights to Milan
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte also announced the closure of schools, gyms, museums, nightclubs and other venues across the whole country.
The restrictions will last until 3 April.
The World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised Italy for making “genuine sacrifices” with the restrictions. Until Sunday only about 50,000 people in northern Italy had been affected by quarantines.
The government & the people of 🇮🇹 are taking bold, courageous steps aimed at slowing the spread of the #coronavirus & protecting their country & 🌍. They are making genuine sacrifices. @WHO stands in solidarity with 🇮🇹 & is here to continue supporting you.https://t.co/Y2rkgUihtA
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) March 8, 2020
Last week the government announced the closure of all schools and universities across the country for 10 days.
Most of the fatalities have been in China. But the country on Sunday reported its lowest number of new infections in a single day since January – an indication that the virus’s spread there is slowing.
Iran, one of the worst hotspots outside China, has now confirmed 6,566 infections and 194 deaths.
However, the real figure is feared to be much higher. One report on Sunday, quoting a government envoy, said there had been 200 deaths in the northern Gilan province alone – but the figures were later removed.
In France, the virus is spreading among MPs. Two more members of the National Assembly have tested positive, officials said late on Sunday.
In total four deputies have been infected. Also on Sunday France reported 1,126 cases, a 19% increase in a day and the second largest number of infections in Europe after Italy.
