MI:7 SHOOT IN VENICE POSTPONED

As Italy becomes home to the worst coronavirus outbreak in Europe, the government has ordered a clampdown on gatherings, including a shoot for Tom Cruise’s new film “Mission: Impossible 7.”

The total number of cases in Italy rose to 322 and seven deaths on Monday, with the vast majority from Lombardy and Veneto, the economic powerhouse of the country that includes the financial capital Milan and the tourist hot spot Venice.

“Out of an abundance of caution for the safety and well-being of our cast and crew, and efforts of the local Venetian government to halt public gatherings in response to the threat of coronavirus, we are altering the production plan for our three-week shoot in Venice,” Paramount Pictures said.

The move came shortly after the Venice carnival, one of the largest gatherings which typically runs for a couple of weeks, was shut early for the first time in decades.

Veneto regional president Luca Zaia said all carnival and sporting activities would be stopped until March 1.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte warned that the economic fallout could be “very strong” but also said he was confident the contagion would come under control soon.

The World Health Organization, which sent a mission to Rome, praised Italy’s efforts at suppressing the outbreak.

“The measures taken by the Italian government or the regional governments have been pretty strong and most likely should help in containing this virus as good as possible,” WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier said in Geneva.