Italy, the house of some of the world’s best cultural riches, art, fashion, architecture and cuisine has decided to extend the State of Emergency till October 15, 2020. More details below. By Kumar Shree
Italy is known to house the highest number of UNESCO World Heritage sites in the world. A popular tourist destination for travellers all across the world, Italy has been hit hard by the pandemic. Recently, the nation has decided to extend the State of Emergency till October 15, 2020, which was earlier supposed to end by July 31. Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced the new development in the Italian Senate.
View this post on Instagram
The decision has been lurking under consideration for the past few weeks; however, the cabinet eventually agreed to implement the extension. PM Conte, in his address, also mentioned that the extension was necessary as it is one of the best ways to keep the country safe from the Coronavirus.
As reported by Business Standard, during his debate in the Senate, PM Conte says, “Although the curve of the contagion and the impact (of the Coronavirus) on the national health service has reduced significantly, something that encourages us, the data tell us that the virus continues to circulate in our country.”
View this post on Instagram
Despite a steady decline in the COVID-19 positive numbers in Italy, data confirms that the virus is very much present in the country and it continues to spread. That’s one of the main regions why the State of Emergency has been prolonged. It will enable the government to track new COVID-19 cases, allocate funds for speedy action, and implement necessary lockdown measures without having to go through the parliament.
The existing rules about travel restrictions, wearing face masks, and social distancing will go in for a review by the ministers who will decide whether any changes are required or not. In all likelihood, a new decree can come out after the review.
As on July 31, Italy has reported a total of 2,47,000 COVID-19 positive cases, out of which, 2,00,000 have recovered.
Related: Cyprus Will Cover Medical Costs Of Tourists Infected With Coronavirus