Approximately 60 million people in Italy are now under total lockdown in a desperate bid from the country's government to halt the spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19).
On Monday night, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced severe measures for the entire nation, enforcing something he's calling the "I Stay Home" decree. Strict travel restrictions, previously only in effect in northern Italy, are now applicable to the whole country.
The decree went into effect as of Tuesday morning and will last until April 3, 2020. The lockdown is unprecedented during peacetime in the country. "All the measure of the red zones are now extended to all of the national territory," Conte said in a press conference on Monday.
Italy is the worst affected nation after China, and the epicentre of the virus in Europe. Cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed in all 20 regions in Italy. On Monday, Italy's coronavirus death toll jumped from 366 to 463. At the time of publishing this story, the total number of cases had increased to 9,172 — that number was 7,375 on Sunday.
During Monday's televised press conference, the prime minister told people to stay home and banned all public gatherings. "There is no more time. I will take responsibility for these measures. Our future is in our hands," he told reporters.
A nun walks across Piazza del Duomo by the cathedral in downtown Milan on March 10, 2020. Credit: MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP via Getty Images 
The deserted Vittorio Emanuele II galleria shopping mall on March 10, 2020 in Milan. Credit: MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP via Getty Image 
A tourist wears a protective face mask as he visits the ancient sites in the Italian capital Rome, March 10, 2020. Credit: ANGELO CARCONI/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock 
People walk across a shopping gallery in downtown Milan on March 10, 2020. Credit: MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP via Getty Images 
Customers order drinks at a deserted cafe terrace on March 9, 2020 on Piazza Vittorio in Turin. Credit: MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images Travel is only permitted under certain special circumstances, including "urgent, verifiable work situations and emergencies or health reasons." Those found to be breaking quarantine rules face fines and up to three months in jail.
Checkpoints will be installed on motorways, toll booths, and at airports and train stations. Public transport will remain operational.
These measures are an extension of strict travel restrictions the country introduced over the weekend for northern Italy, affecting 16 million people. People living in Lombardy and 14 central and northern provinces were informed they could not travel unless they had special permission.
Popular tourist destinations including Milan, Venice, Padua, Parma, and Rimini were declared "red zone" quarantine areas under the weekend's lockdown.
A soldier supervises platform access at the Termini railway station in Rome on March 10, 2020. Credit: TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images 
A few commuters travel in the underground metro in Milan on March 10, 2020 after Italy imposed unprecedented national restrictions. Credit: MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP via Getty Images 
An Italian State Police officer takes down notes at a checkpoint on March 10, 2020 in Milan, Italy. Credit: Emanuele Cremaschi/Getty Images 
People keep a safe distance as part of precautionary measures against the spread of the new coronavirus, outside a post office in downtown Rome on March 10. Credit: ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images 
People queue up at supermarkets to stock up on food and goods on March 10, 2020 in Rome. Credit: Simona Granati - Corbis / Corbis via Getty Images "Social distancing" measures were introduced across the country, with people being urged to stay one meter away from others in public areas like bars, cafes, and shops.
Restaurants and cafes will now close at dusk throughout the country.
Under the drastic new nationwide measures, all public events are banned, including attending cinemas, theatres, gyms, pubs, and discos. Weddings, funerals, and sporting events will be cancelled. All schools and universities will stay shut until April.
Italian people have been using the Twitter hashtag #iostoacasa, which means "I'm staying home" to inform others they were abiding by the new restrictions, and to encourage others to follow suit.
People leave a supermarket in Naples at night with supplies supplies after the government announced the lockdown. Credit: Carlo Hermann/KONTROLAB/LightRocket via Getty Images 
A note that reads 'we do not accept visits, from today for the next few days, do not take offense but we protect each other' is seen on the door of a private home on March 9, 2020 in Venice, Italy. Credit: Marco Di Lauro/Getty Images 
A hairdresser wearing a respiratory mask works at a hair saloon in Rome on March 10, 2020. Credit: ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images 
Few people are seen at the Campo dei Fiori open-air market, in Rome. Credit: Andrew Medichini/AP/Shutterstock 
Women walk across a street in downtown Milan on March 10, 2020. Credit: MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP via Getty Images 
A waiter prepares a capuccino at a cafe in downtown Milan on March 10, 2020. Credit: MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP via Getty Images "We have adopted a new decision based on an assumption: that there is no time," Conte said. "Our habits therefore must be changed. They must be changed now."
Since the announcement of the nationwide lockdown, the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is now advising against "all but essential travel to Italy" citing the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus.
On Monday, the Italian prime minister told La Repubblica, "These days, I have been thinking about the old speeches of [Winston] Churchill. It is our darkest hour but we will make it."
