With eleven cities under quarantine since Sunday, more than 50,000 residents are confined; Italy has become the first hotspot of the Covid-19 epidemic in Europe.
South of Milan, cars cannot enter or leave the affected towns without special permission.
The outbreak of the disease is located in Codogno. It is now a ghost town where anxiety is rising.
A seventh person died today. 219 people are infected, with 167 in the Milan region alone.
“In Italy, we are trying to curb the contagion through significant precautionary measures,” explains Angelo Borrelli, head of the country’s civil protection department. “We have recorded two outbreaks in our country and have intervened with strict measures. That’s why we believe you can safely come to Italy since security is ensured.”
In the contaminated region, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has decided to close schools, cancel football matches, church services, shows, and close cinemas.
In the Alpes-Maritimes region, which is only three hours away by car, the authorities are also on alert. A meeting was convened by Prefect Bernard Gonzales, attended by elected officials from the Alpes-Maritimes, health services, and emergency services.
During this meeting, it was reiterated that France is not experiencing an epidemic situation.
Regarding the Alpes-Maritimes, two suspected cases were mentioned. After analysis, both cases were found to be negative.
A daily monitoring unit is established with state services and local authorities. A communication link with Italian and Monégasque authorities is also in place.
The Nice University Hospital will soon be equipped to analyze samples from suspected cases more quickly.
No specific measures are necessary at this stage for major events currently taking place in the department, such as the Nice Carnival and the Lemon Festival in Menton.
