11 People Die from Coronavirus in Italy, 325 Infected

The number of deaths caused by the coronavirus in Italy has reached 11, with 325 confirmed cases of infection. As reported by Il Messaggero on February 26, cases of infection have been recorded in 20 of Italy's regions.

As before, the largest number of infections—240 people—are in the northern Lombardy region, which has become the local center of the outbreak since last weekend. On February 25, three more cases of infection were identified in Sicily, specifically in Palermo, among tourists who had come from northern Italy.

As a result, the mayor's office of the regional administrative center has decided to close schools for three days for disinfection purposes. Authorities are also awaiting confirmation of the first case of the disease in the Marche region, while local officials have already ordered schools closed until March 4 and canceled all public events.

This decision has drawn criticism from the central government. According to ANSA, citing sources from the Chigi Palace, the decisions made by regional authorities do not align with the general policy of preventing the situation from escalating in areas not at risk of coronavirus spread. The day before, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte described the closure of schools in areas without outbreaks as “unjustified.”

A total of 10 cities near Lodi in Lombardy and one in the neighboring Veneto region are in complete isolation. In five regions, including Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Liguria, and Friuli-Venezia Giulia, serious quarantine measures are in place, including the closure of museums, theaters, cinemas, gyms, and entertainment venues, with all public events and sporting competitions canceled, as reported by TASS.