Italy to close schools and impose curfew

ITALY was expected to close its high schools and introduce a nationwide curfew last night, as the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic swept through Europe.

There were 10,925 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours, the health ministry said yesterday, breaking the previous record of 10,010 cases posted on Friday.

Records for new infections also tumbled in Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands yesterday, as European countries introduced or planned new restrictions.

Italian authorities meet this evening to discuss the measures, which would close cafés and restaurants from 10pm and compel people to return home.

Cinemas could be closed and football matches, both professional and amateur, are expected to be banned. Only emergency or essential travel will be allowed under the new rules, according to media reports in Italy.

Lombardy, Italy’s most populous region, has once again become the most affected in the Covid-19 resurgence, adding more than 2,000 infections a day. Hospitals intensive care units are coming under strain.

The northern region, where the European coronavirus outbreak began in late February, has already limited bar service and alcohol sales, banned contact sports and closed bingo parlours. The country’s other hardesthit region, southern Campania, has taken similarly strict measures, including a shutdown of schools for two weeks. After parents protested, the regional governor backed off on Friday and allowed day-care centres to remain open.

In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel urged the public to avoid unnecessary travel, cancel parties and remain at home whenever possible after 7,830 new cases – a record – were reported.

The Netherlands, which entered “partial lockdown” on Wednesday, hit a record for daily coronavirus cases, with more than 8,000 infections in the past 24 hours.

In the Czech Republic, the number of new infections surpassed 10,000 for the first time, surging to a record 11,105 on Friday,

Sophie Wilmes, Belgium’s foreign minister and former prime minister, announced she had tested positive for the virus. The country will begin a month-long nationwide curfew from midnight to 5am and the closure of all cafés and restaurants from tomorrow.

In Paris and eight other French cities, restaurants, bars, cinemas and other establishments are being forced to close no later than 9pm.