Party masks off, medical on: Venice shutters famed carnival as coronavirus gains foothold in Italy

Italian authorities have decided to end Venice’s carnival two days early, in an attempt to stop the spread of the deadly coronavirus that has infected more than 100 in Italy.

Veneto regional Governor Luca Zaia said the shutdown will begin Sunday evening, ending the festivities for tens of thousands of mask-wearing party-goers. Authorities announced that three people in Venice have already tested positive for the virus. The patients, all in their late 80s, have been hospitalized and are reportedly in critical condition.

The neighboring region, Lombardy, has been hit hard by the virus, with 89 of the confirmed cases coming from there. The authorities decided to close all the schools in the area for a week. Also, the famed Teatro alla Scala in Milan announced that it will cancel upcoming performances as a precautionary measure.

Almost all of Italy’s 129 confirmed cases are in the north of the country, with three dead from the virus. Italy’s first cases of the disease were that of a Chinese couple vacationing in Rome.

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