The Italian government will likely extend a state of emergency beyond its current deadline of July 31 due to the coronavirus crisis, Italian PM Giuseppe Conte has warned.
“The possible extension simply means that we are in a position to continue taking the necessary measures” to face the epidemic, Conte said Friday, on the sidelines of a ceremony in Venice.
Italy declared a six-month state of emergency at the end of January, after two Chinese tourists tested positive for the new coronavirus in the first cases detected in the country. The government said the special powers allowed it to cut through red tape quickly if needed.
On Thursday, Italy banned entry to people coming from 13 countries that it said presented an excessive rate of coronavirus infections.