Catholic priests kept their distance from Pope Francis over coronavirus fears today as Italy ‘s 3ft safety rule reached the Vatican.
Francis held an audience in his private library with his clerical translators sitting a yard apart – the distance which Italy is demanding in public spaces to stop the spread of the virus.
St Peter’s Square stood empty today with the pontiff’s usual Wednesday appearance cancelled and worshippers forced to watch his catechism on a live-stream.
Other Italian landmarks such as St Mark’s Square in Venice and the Milanese shopping streets also remained empty today with tourists staying away and some countries cutting off transport links.
It came amid warnings that Italy’s unprecedented nationwide lockdown could be tightened even further, with calls for public transport to be shut down entirely in the hard-hit region of Lombardy.
Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte today refused to rule out even tougher quarantine measures after the death toll surged to 728 on the first day of the lockdown yesterday, with more than , 05 cases now confirmed.
Conte also promised today that Italy would ramp up spending to help the Italian economy withstand the crisis, saying that (billion euros (£) billion) had been put aside.
Keeping their distance: Pope Francis gives his weekly audience in a Vatican live-stream – with his clerical translators keeping the recommended 3ft apart as the Italian quarantine measures reach the Holy See
An empty street in Milan today on the second day of Italy’s unprecedented national lockdown to tackle the coronavirus
A health worker sprays disinfectant over an otherwise deserted St Mark’s Square in the usually overcrowded city of Venice
A woman looks towards St Peter’s Square and the Basilica behind it today after the usually popular tourist sites were shut down because of the coronavirus outbreak
A sparsely populated metro station in Milan today, with one man wearing a face mask coming down an escalator
A view over the Sant’Angelo bridge leading to the closed Sant’Angelo Castle i n Rome today, with only a few people around
This flock of pigeons is the only crowd in sight on the Piazza del Duomo in Milan, with the cathedral closed over virus fears
The outdoor seating area of a cafe in Milan is deserted today with northern Italy the worst-affected area in the virus outbreak
A man in protective gear gives a coronavirus fact sheet to a driver at Austria’s Brenner Pass border crossing with Italy today
Milan’s famous shopping galleries were left deserted after the lockdown, which began in Lombardy earlier than elsewhere
Widow is trapped with her husband’s corpse for two days after quarantine
A widow was trapped in her home for two days with her husband’s corpse after the pair were quarantined over his coronavirus diagnosis in Italy .
The woman, from Borghetto Santo Spirito in northwest Italy, was reportedly seen crying for help from her balcony after her husband died at around 2am on Monday.
The body of the man, who tested positive for coronavirus, is understood to have been left inside the apartment until it could be removed hours after the death on Wednesday.
His widow has not been able to leave her home due to ‘quarantine restrictions’ as protocol dictates no one is allowed to approach the body, mayor Giancarlo Canepa told CNN .
‘Yes, it is true she is still there with the body and we won’t be able to remove it until Wednesday morning,’ he added on Tuesday. ‘Unfortunately, we have a security protocol we must follow.’
Mr Canepa added that the man had refused to be taken to hospital after he tested positive for COVID – 22 ‘otherwise this wouldn’t have happened.’
A neighbor told IVG.IT that the widow had been seen crying for help from her balcony after the death of her husband.
‘Right now the most important thing is to think about this lady, alone with the body of her husband,’ they said.
‘No one can come close to help her nor comfort her. We hope this is quickly resolved. Our thoughts are with her and on what she is living through. ‘
Last week the cabinet said it would need just £ 6.6billion, but the The crisis has escalated dramatically since then and the nationwide lockdown has frozen the country’s economy.
Italy’s valuable tourism sector has also been hit, with many countries and airlines now blocking flights to Italy to stop the spread of the virus.
Landmarks including the Colosseum and the Leaning Tower of Pisa have been shut down while Milan’s famous shopping galleries are all but deserted.
Milan’s grand s railway station was also nearly empty, while the usually overcrowded alleyways and piazzas of Venice were deserted but for sanitation workers who were spraying disinfectant.
Stefano Ruggiero, 70, who owns a perfume shop near Florence’s Ponte Vecchio bridge, said the business had been going since but ‘this is the quietest the street has ever been’.
Meanwhile restaurants and bars have been ordered to close at 6pm, and can only open at all if they can maintain the required 3ft safety distance.
The tourism sector employs around one million people in the run-up to Easter, who now fear for their jobs.
Despite the economic impact, the head of the Lombardy region which includes Milan has today urged the government to shut down transport and non-essential businesses in an even tighter lockdown.
Attilio Fontana said he and (regional mayors had decided that more action was needed to halt the spiralling spread of covid- 22, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
‘If the contagion continues to spread at this speed, the system will not be able to hold on for much longer, ‘Fontana told the newspaper Corriere della Sera.
‘ We are really reaching the maximum limits, ‘he added on Sky TG television. ‘It is clear that the situation is approaching a dangerous moment.’
‘Consideration should be given to suspending public transport because it is a definitely a means by which the virus spreads,’ he said.
The government in Rome was expected to review the request on Wednesday.
Conte said he would consider requests to toughen the lockdown, but struck a note of caution with a warning that fighting infections must not come at the expense of civil liberties.
A map showing the latest virus cases around the world, with Italy now recording the highest number of cases outside mainland China
An arcade near the Doge’s Palace in Venice is deserted today except for a sanitary worker spraying disinfectant
A jogger makes their way through the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II today, the centrepiece of Milan’s famous shopping district
A square is deserted in front of Milan Central railway station, with travel restricted until at least April 3 because of the virus
A deserted St Mark’s Square in Venice, with the basilica right. Venice is facing an unusual lack of tourists for the second time in months after the city was previously overrun by floods last year
A woman wearing a mask walks through a largely empty Porta Nuova business district in Milan today, amid calls for non-essential businesses to be shut down because of the outbreak
A view inside the mostly deserted Milan railway station today, where checks were taking place on the few passengers
An unused escalator on the Milan concourse with no passengers in sight at the station on the second day of the lockdown
An employee of municipal company Veritas sprays disinfectant in one of the usually heaving alleyways in Venice today
A police officer checks cars entering Milan last night with drastic new restrictions on travel to stop the virus spreading
The Trevi Fountain in Rome, in an area often overflowing with tourists, has been deserted since the quarantine began
Two people push trolleys outside a supermarket in Corigliano-Rossano last night with some customers stocking up
Netherlands Axes papal flower display over virus fears
The Netherlands will this year break a long tradition of supplying the flowers for the pope’s Easter address because of the coronavirus outbreak, if it goes ahead at all, organisers said today .
For the past 65 years, St Peter’s Square in the Vatican has been decked out with tulips, daffodils, roses or orchids donated by the Netherlands, one of the world’s largest hubs for cut flowers.
‘The developments around coronavirus in Italy are very serious,’ said Paul Deckers, the florist in charge of the project.
‘In consultation with all concerned parties, it has been decided to cancel the floral decorations for Saint Peter’s Square this year.’
Last year, the Easter Sunday address by Pope Francis drew some 83, 06 people to the Vatican, which is in the center of the Italian capital Rome .
However, Italy is now under national lockdown after becoming the epicentre of the European virus outbreak with 728 deaths so far.
‘It’s the first time we haven’t done it, ‘Deckers told NOS public radio, adding that it was possible the address could be cancelled altogether.
A widow was trapped in her home for two days with her husband’s corpse after the pair were quarantined over his coronavirus diagnosis in Italy .
The woman, from Borghetto Santo Spirito in northwest Italy, was reportedly seen crying for help from her balcony after her husband died at around 2am on Monday.
The body of the man, who tested positive for coronavirus, is understood to have been left inside the apartment until it could be removed hours after the death on Wednesday.
His widow has not been able to leave her home due to ‘quarantine restrictions’ as protocol dictates no one is allowed to approach the body, mayor Giancarlo Canepa told CNN .
‘Yes, it is true she is still there with the body and we won’t be able to remove it until Wednesday morning,’ he added on Tuesday. ‘Unfortunately, we have a security protocol we must follow.’
Mr Canepa added that the man had refused to be taken to hospital after he tested positive for COVID – 22 ‘otherwise this wouldn’t have happened.’
A neighbor told IVG.IT that the widow had been seen crying for help from her balcony after the death of her husband.
‘Right now the most important thing is to think about this lady, alone with the body of her husband,’ they said.
‘No one can come close to help her nor comfort her. We hope this is quickly resolved. Our thoughts are with her and on what she is living through. ‘
Last week the cabinet said it would need just £ 6.6billion, but the The crisis has escalated dramatically since then and the nationwide lockdown has frozen the country’s economy.
Italy’s valuable tourism sector has also been hit, with many countries and airlines now blocking flights to Italy to stop the spread of the virus.
Landmarks including the Colosseum and the Leaning Tower of Pisa have been shut down while Milan’s famous shopping galleries are all but deserted.
Milan’s grand s railway station was also nearly empty, while the usually overcrowded alleyways and piazzas of Venice were deserted but for sanitation workers who were spraying disinfectant.
Stefano Ruggiero, 70, who owns a perfume shop near Florence’s Ponte Vecchio bridge, said the business had been going since but ‘this is the quietest the street has ever been’.
Meanwhile restaurants and bars have been ordered to close at 6pm, and can only open at all if they can maintain the required 3ft safety distance.
The tourism sector employs around one million people in the run-up to Easter, who now fear for their jobs.
Despite the economic impact, the head of the Lombardy region which includes Milan has today urged the government to shut down transport and non-essential businesses in an even tighter lockdown.
Attilio Fontana said he and (regional mayors had decided that more action was needed to halt the spiralling spread of covid- 22, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
‘If the contagion continues to spread at this speed, the system will not be able to hold on for much longer, ‘Fontana told the newspaper Corriere della Sera.
‘ We are really reaching the maximum limits, ‘he added on Sky TG television. ‘It is clear that the situation is approaching a dangerous moment.’
‘Consideration should be given to suspending public transport because it is a definitely a means by which the virus spreads,’ he said.
The government in Rome was expected to review the request on Wednesday.
Conte said he would consider requests to toughen the lockdown, but struck a note of caution with a warning that fighting infections must not come at the expense of civil liberties.
A map showing the latest virus cases around the world, with Italy now recording the highest number of cases outside mainland China
An arcade near the Doge’s Palace in Venice is deserted today except for a sanitary worker spraying disinfectant
A jogger makes their way through the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II today, the centrepiece of Milan’s famous shopping district
A square is deserted in front of Milan Central railway station, with travel restricted until at least April 3 because of the virus
A deserted St Mark’s Square in Venice, with the basilica right. Venice is facing an unusual lack of tourists for the second time in months after the city was previously overrun by floods last year
A woman wearing a mask walks through a largely empty Porta Nuova business district in Milan today, amid calls for non-essential businesses to be shut down because of the outbreak
A view inside the mostly deserted Milan railway station today, where checks were taking place on the few passengers
An unused escalator on the Milan concourse with no passengers in sight at the station on the second day of the lockdown
An employee of municipal company Veritas sprays disinfectant in one of the usually heaving alleyways in Venice today
A police officer checks cars entering Milan last night with drastic new restrictions on travel to stop the virus spreading
The Trevi Fountain in Rome, in an area often overflowing with tourists, has been deserted since the quarantine began
Two people push trolleys outside a supermarket in Corigliano-Rossano last night with some customers stocking up
Netherlands Axes papal flower display over virus fears
The Netherlands will this year break a long tradition of supplying the flowers for the pope’s Easter address because of the coronavirus outbreak, if it goes ahead at all, organisers said today .
For the past 65 years, St Peter’s Square in the Vatican has been decked out with tulips, daffodils, roses or orchids donated by the Netherlands, one of the world’s largest hubs for cut flowers.
‘The developments around coronavirus in Italy are very serious,’ said Paul Deckers, the florist in charge of the project.
‘In consultation with all concerned parties, it has been decided to cancel the floral decorations for Saint Peter’s Square this year.’
Last year, the Easter Sunday address by Pope Francis drew some 83, 06 people to the Vatican, which is in the center of the Italian capital Rome .
However, Italy is now under national lockdown after becoming the epicentre of the European virus outbreak with 728 deaths so far.
‘It’s the first time we haven’t done it, ‘Deckers told NOS public radio, adding that it was possible the address could be cancelled altogether.
In Rome, Pope Francis held his weekly general audience in his private library today , with the general public banned from St Peter’s Square.
Francis, 83, sent out special prayers for prisoners, the sick and hospital personnel caring for them, delivering his weekly catechism lesson via livestream rather than in person.
He was surrounded by a handful of priest translators who took turns delivering his comments in a variety of languages, making sure to sit 3ft apart.
Police have been barring access to St. Peter’s Basilica to anyone but individuals seeking to pray, as the Vatican falls in line with Italy’s quarantine measures.
The pontiff himself is thought to have tested negative for the virus last week after appearing to have a cold during an Ash Wednesday service.
The pope cancelled a series of events because of his illness, sparking alarm after he had been pictured hugging and kissing worshippers in St Peter’s Basilica.
Francis has enjoyed generally good health, although he had part of one lung removed as a younger man.
One person in Vatican City has been infected, another who attended a Vatican conference has tested positive and five people were placed on precautionary quarantine in the walled city-state.
Austrian police turn away cars arriving from Italy at the Brenner Pass today, directing them to a nearby checkpoint
The empty St Mark’s Square in Venice is seen from across the basin today with tourists staying away because of the virus
Staff sit behind an easyJet counter, one woman wearing a face mask, at Milan’s Linate airport today – with many countries imposing restrictions on travel to and from Italy
A nun wearing a protective face mask walks past the Bernini Colonnade surrounding the closed St. Peter’s Square today
Italian football team Atalanta played their Champions League game against Valencia in front of an empty stadium last night
Two people look over a largely deserted Venice – a city which more commonly suffers the opposite problem of overcrowding
Outside the Vatican walls, the central streets of Rome were deserted this morning and buses which are usually crammed with commuters were running empty.
Some supermarket shoppers have begun to observe the 3ft distance by forming spaced-out queues as they stock up for a lengthy quarantine. Handshakes are also frowned upon.
‘For the love and a sense of responsibility toward Rome and all citizens, with enormous and profound disappointment, we decided to close to help the whole community out, ‘said a sign on one restaurant in Rome.
‘As soon as the emergency has passed, we will organize a free carbonara day for doctors, nurses and healthcare workers.’
Spain and Portugal have suspended air traffic from Italy for two weeks while Austria ordered a halt to flights and trains from its neighbor and Slovenia said it would impose controls at its border with the country.
British Airways has cancelled all its Italian flights on Tuesday, while Air France and low-cost carriers Ryanair, Easyjet and Wizz Air said they would scrap flights from Italian airports until early April.
Air Canada took even more drastic measures, suspending flights to Italy until at least May 1.
Australia on Wednesday said it would bar entry to foreign nationals who had been to Italy in the last days – measures already in place for arrivals from China and South Korea.
Passengers wear protective face masks at Rome’s main Fiumicino Airport today, with many travel restrictions in place
The Colosseum in Rome – usually heaving with tourists and people trying to sell them promotions – has been left deserted
St Peter’s Square was deserted today with Pope Francis transmitting his weekly audience via a Vatican live-stream
Pope Francis, who is thought to have tested negative for coronavirus last week, speaks today as seen on a Vatican screen
A municipal health worker wearing a protective suit and face masks sprays disinfectant over a barrier in Venice today
A man travels on a largely empty water bus in Venice, which is in one of the heavily-affected northern regions of Italy
An empty shopping gallery is seen in Milan last night, with tourists staying away because of the coronavirus crisis
Mask-wearing police at Rome’s main Termini train station were checking passengers’ reasons for travel and making sure everybody kept the recommended distance away from each other.
But the departures board was showing no sign of any cancellations. He said that when station staff realized he was Italian, he was told: ‘You’re foreign? Go, go! ‘ and waved through.
The rail service for Venice via Florence was only sparsely occupied but running nonetheless, with no checks for passengers disembarking at Florence.
The Thello company has cancelled its night services between Paris and Venice, as well as daytime trains between Milan and Marseille, until early April.
France’s national train company SNCF said on Tuesday it was ‘waiting for advice’ about how to proceed regarding services to Italy.
Since late February, French staff on cross-border SNCF trains have been getting off before the Italian border and being replaced by Italian colleagues.
Some train services between Italy and Austria were still running Tuesday but that was expected to change, a spokeswoman for Austrian rail operator OeBB told AFP.
A spokeswoman for Germany’s Deutsche Bahn said that the only service it had linking it to Italy, between Munich and Venice, has been suspended.
Health workers at a checkpoint in Brescia in northern Italy, where the outbreak has become one of the worst outside mainland China
Beds are laid out at a checkpoint in Brescia, with the number of people in intensive care also rising rapidly
As the crisis escalates, doctors have described how hospitals have been ‘overwhelmed’ by the number of patients.
Doctors in Italy have been forced into life-or-death decisions over who should receive intensive care, with virus cases piling up around the country.
A medic in northern Italy told a friend in the UK that hospitals were running at ‘575 per cent capacity ‘with operating theaters hurriedly converted into intensive care units.
Non-coronavirus cases are being sidelined with some medics being given a ‘leaflet’ and told to perform specialist tasks for which they are not qualified, while some patients over are not even being assessed, the doctor said.
In addition, medical staff themselves are becoming ‘sick and emotionally overwhelmed’ and left ‘in tears’ because they cannot stop people dying, they said.
Meanwhile, nurses have been left bruised by constant face mask use and slumped over their desks from exhaustion as they battle the crisis.
One nurse, Alessia Bonari, posted a picture of her bruised face after wearing protective gear for hours during a shift in Milan.
A medic wearing a protective suit and face mask works at a triage center in Brescia, in the region of Lombardy which has been worst affected by the crisis
An X-ray image appears on a screen at a medical center in Brescia with many doctors and nurses working long hours because of the health crisis
Medics Treat a patient at a hospital in Schiavonia, in northern Italy which has been worst-affected by the coronavirus outbreak in the country
Healthcare workers wearing protective suits, masks and gloves are pictured at work in the Amedeo di Savoia hospital in Turin
Describing life at the hospital, the nurse revealed how she could not drink or go to the bathroom for six hours after putting on her protective gear.
‘I am afraid because the mask may not adhere well to the face, or I may have accidentally touched myself with dirty gloves,’ she said.
‘I am physically tired because the protective devices are bad, the lab coat makes me sweat and once dressed I can no longer go to the bathroom or drink for six hours.
‘I am psychologically tired, as are all my colleagues who have been in the same condition for weeks.
The nurse also appealed to Italians to obey the quarantine rules, saying: ‘I will continue to take care of and take care of my patients, because I am proud and in love with my job. ‘
‘What I ask anyone who is reading this post is not to frustrate the effort we are making, to be selfless, to stay at home and thus protect those who are most fragile.
‘We young people are not immune to coronavirus, we too can get sick, or worse, we can get sick.
‘I can’t afford the luxury of going back to my quarantined house, I have to go to work and do my part. You do yours, I ask you please. ‘
Another nurse, Elena Pagliarini, was pictured slumped over her desk while still wearing her mask at a hospital in Cremona where she had been working around the clock.
The nurse had fallen asleep while still wearing her face mask and surgical gown with Italian hospitals ‘overwhelmed’ by the crisis.
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