Lockdown exit plan coming this week, Italy PM says
By the end of the week Italy will announce a plan to gradually exit its lockdown, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said.
In a Facebook post, Mr Conte said the country could not quit its policy of "maximum caution", and said Italy would reopen consistent with "serious scientific policy".
"An acceptable expectation is that we will apply it from May 4," he said.
Italy has reported 24,648 deaths, the best recorded toll in Europe.
Data released on Tuesday showed the quantity of folks currently confirmed as infected fell for the next consecutive day. But deaths rose by 534 in the previous 24 hours, weighed against a growth of 454 announced on Monday.
The third-largest economy in the eurozone has been under lockdown measures since 9 March, earned to tackle the spread of the virus.
Countries across Europe are slowly starting to ease the restrictions, on businesses and on education. There is however no co-ordination between states.
Some countries like Denmark have previously reopened primary schools, while Spain's government on Tuesday finally made a decision to allow children outside - under strict conditions.
What did Italy's PM say?
Mr Conte posted his statement on Facebook on Tuesday morning, insisting the government was working non-stop to co-ordinate moves towards "phase two" of its lockdown - "coexistence" with the virus.
"I would like in order to say, let's open everything. Right away," he wrote. "But such a decision will be irresponsible. It could make the contagion curve rise uncontrollably and would jeopardise all of the efforts that we've made as yet."
"The easing of measures must take place based on a well-structured and articulated plan," he said, adding that Italy "cannot abandon the line of maximum caution".
Current national quarantine restrictions officially expire on 3 May.
