Italian Prime Minister orders nationwide lockdown as coronavirus spreads

Italy has extended its emergency coronavirus measures, which include travel restrictions and a ban on public gatherings, to the entire country.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced that he is extending restrictions already in place in the north.

“All the measure of the red zones are now extended to all of the national territory,” Conte said at a press conference on Monday evening as he also announced a ban on all public events, CNN reported.

The Prime Minister said the move was taken in order to protect the population. His announcement came at the end of a chaotic day that saw prison riots across the country. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte ordered people to stay home and seek permission for essential travel.

Ninety-seven people have died of the novel coronavirus since Sunday in Italy, bringing its total number of deaths to 463. The country has 9,172 cases so far.