Italy banned domestic travel and shut down a range of industries on Monday in a last-ditch push against the spread of a virus that has killed nearly 5,500 people in a month.
The wave of restrictions is designed to ensure Italy gets through a 10-day stretch in which the rate of deaths and infections is supposed to finally drop. “Everyone’s effort is needed,” Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte told reporters. “The country’s social and economic strength is at stake.”
Italian health officials reported that the rate of increase in both deaths and declared infections slowed on Sunday — albeit from a high base. There were 651 fatalities on Sunday compared with Saturday’s record 793 deaths while the number of new reported infections fell to 5,560 from 6,557. But Mr. Conte told Italians it was too early to let down their guard.
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“We have not reached the most acute phase of the infection and the numbers will continue to grow,” he said. “Much depends on the responsible behaviour of each one of us.”
Mr. Conte’s latest order comes after he caused confusion on Saturday by ordering all “non-essential” factories and trades to shut until April 3. The government released a long list of industries and professions that would still be allowed — including translation services and computer repair shops.
The initial restrictions placed on Lombardy — the northern region at the centre of the Italian epidemic that includes the financial capital Milan — expired on Sunday and the national measures are set to end on Wednesday.
“If everyone — and I stress everyone — respects our bans, we will emerge from this very difficult test first,” said Mr. Conte said Monday.
