Whole of Italy under coronavirus lockdown, public gatherings banned

ROME, Italy: Travel was restricted across Italy from Tuesday and public gatherings were forbidden throughout the country, as the government placed the whole peninsula on lockdown to fight the spread of the new coronavirus.

Marriages and funerals were banned for more than three weeks under the quarantine and bars and restaurants were told to close at 6pm, with the prime minister urging people to “stay at home”. The unprecedented measures, in place until April 3, were extended from several large areas of the north to Italy’s entire population of more than 60 million in a decree signed

Monday night.

“All forms of gatherings in public places or sites open to the public” were banned, the decree said, while sporting events of all levels and disciplines were cancelled — stopping play in the top-flight Serie A football league. Under the new rules travel is only allowed for the most urgent work or health reasons, but people will be able to return to their own homes from elsewhere.

UN appeals for funds to shield refugees from coronavirus: The United Nations made an urgent appeal Tuesday for tens of millions of dollars to help protect vulnerable refugees against the spread of the deadly new coronavirus. The UN refugee agency said it was seeking an initial $33 million “to boost the preparedness, prevention and response activities to address the immediate public health needs of refugees prompted by COVID-19.

So far, there have not been any reports of the virus, which has killed more than 4,000 people worldwide, spreading among communities of refugees and asylum seekers. But UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi stressed the need to protect some of the world´s most vulnerable against the disease, which shows mild symptoms in most cases but which often provokes severe illness and death in the weakest individuals. “The virus can affect anyone and it is our collective responsibility to ensure that the global response includes all people,” Grandi said.

“Allowing full access to health services, including for the most marginalised members of the community, is the best way to protect us all,” he said.

“Everyone on this planet — including refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced people — should be able to access health facilities and services. More than 70 million people globally been forced by conflict, persecution, violence and abuses to flee their homes, including more than 20 million people living as refugees, according to UN data. A full 84 percent of the world´s refugees are meanwhile hosted in low or middle-income countries with weaker health, water and sanitation systems, the UNHCR pointed out.