Italy coronavirus deaths jump by almost 800, govt shuts most workplaces
Italy recorded a jump in deaths from coronavirus of almost 800 on Saturday, taking the toll in the world’s hardest-hit country to almost 5,000.
In its latest desperate effort to prevent the epidemic Rome ordered that businesses must close until April 3, with the exception of those essential to maintaining the country’s supply chain.
“It is the most challenging crisis in our post-war period,” Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said in a video posted on Facebook, adding “only production activities deemed essential for national production will be allowed”.
Conte did not specify which factories and businesses will be considered crucial to keep carefully the country going. The government is likely to publish a crisis decree on Sunday to make the new crackdown immediately effective.
Supermarkets, pharmacies, postal and banking services will remain open and essential public services including transport will be ensured.
“We are slowing the country’s production engine but we aren't stopping it,” Conte said.
Italy on Thursday overtook China as the united states worst hit by the highly contagious virus.
On Saturday fatalities jumped by 793 to 4,825 in the most significant one-day rise since the contagion emerged a month ago.
Reported infections rose to 53,578 from 47,021, the Civil Protection Agency said. There have been 2,857 people in intensive care, up from 2,655.
Lombardy, the northern Italian region around Milan which is the worst-affected by coronavirus, remains in a critical situation, with 3,095 deaths and 25,515 cases.
“What we all understand is that no member state can face this threat alone. The virus does not have any borders and the European Union is stronger whenever we show full solidarity,” EU Commission head Ursula von der Leyen told Italy’s Corriere della Sera newspaper.
Late on Friday the EU Commission moved to formalise a deal reached by EU finance ministers on March 5 to suspend EU budget rules that limit borrowing, giving Italy and other governments a free of charge hand to fight the condition.
Italy’s failure to lessen its huge debt of 134% of gross domestic product would as a rule have drawn a rebuke from the EU executive, but von der Leyen said there were now other priorities.
“The Italian government should be able to put as much money in to the economy as needed. Normal budget rules, debt rules for example, will not be applied at this time,” she said.
Brussels is expected next week to unveil a plan for using the euro zone’s bailout fund, referred to as the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), which could unlock unlimited sovereign bond purchases by the European Central Bank.
“This work is ongoing,” Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said in an interview with Reuters.
The lockdown measures imposed in Italy and emulated by other countries in Europe are likely to trigger a recession and heavy job losses.
Dombrovskis said the Commission is accelerating work on an EU-wide scheme to greatly help the unemployed, scheduled for presentation in the fourth quarter.
Source: the-japan-news.com
