Italy declares state of emergency after coronavirus cases confirmed
The Italian government on Friday declared a six-month state of emergency in response to the first confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in the country, the local sources reported.
The decision was announced in a statement after a cabinet meeting. It came after Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced late Thursday that two Chinese tourists in Rome had been diagnosed with the deadly disease, adding that the situation was "absolutely under control."
Declaring a state of emergency is a usual response in Italy to calamities such as earthquakes or public health crises. It allows public authorities to act more quickly and bypass red tape.
Italy has suspended all flights connections to China, and Conte said the country was the first in the European Union "to take such a precautionary measure."