Italy Locks Down Region In Coronavirus Outbreak

The New York Times reports:

Health officials in Italy raced to contain the first major coronavirus outbreak in Europe, locking down more than 50,000 people in 10 towns in the northern Lombardy region, where a sizable cluster of coronavirus infections has emerged, and passing emergency measures that apply throughout the country.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Italy has risen by 89 to 132, officials said on Sunday, and 88 of those cases are in the Lombardy region. At least three people have died, including a 77-year-old woman and a 78-year-old man, and at least 26 are in intensive care, officials said.

Responding to the sudden spike, officials closed schools and canceled the last two days of the Venice carnival, which draws thousands of people from around the world. Officials also canceled trade fairs, opera performances and soccer matches.

More than 130 people in Italy had tested positive for the virus as of Sunday morning, with about 90 in the northern region of Lombardy https://t.co/KBVuu1evbw

— Spencer Wells (@spwells) February 23, 2020

▶️Streets are deserted as residents were warned to stay inside in Codogno, Lombardy. Six people in the town have tested positive for coronavirus. Two have died from the virus in the region.

?Italy Town Shuts Schools, Cafes as 6 Test Positive for Virushttps://t.co/8gdE5X7Eh5 pic.twitter.com/x64APAK0Ch

— The Voice of America (@VOANews) February 22, 2020