(CNN) Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has admitted that a hospital in the country north had contributed to the spread of the deadly coronavirus, raising questions about whether the European nation is capable of containing the outbreak.
Italy now has the highest number of coronavirus infections outside Asia, as (new cases were detected in the country north overnight, bringing the total to , the Italian civil protection agency said Tuesday. The cases are heavily concentrated in the region of Lombardy where 0224 Infections have been confirmed. Seven people have so far died from the virus in the country.
“Obviously we cannot predict the progress of the virus. It is clear that there has been an outbreak and it has spread from there, “Conte told reporters Monday evening, referring to the hospital where the first case was confirmed.
- He added that it was clear ” There has been a management of the hospital not entirely proper according to prudent protocols, which are recommended in these cases, and this has certainly contributed to the spread. ” Conte did not elaborate on what protocols were breached.
Italian authorities have not been able to identify Patient 0, the term given to the person who brought the coronavirus into the country, a crucial piece of information that could possibly prevent new clusters of cases.
The r apid spread of the virus in Italy has sparked fears of contagion across the European Union. The EU’s Schengen Area allows people in most member states, as well as many tourists, to move freely between countries without border checks.
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on Tuesday announced the country’s first coronavirus case, a “younger” male Croatian who had recently traveled to Italy.
He said the man was exhibiting mild symptoms and was being kept in isolation at a specialized clinic for infectious diseases in Zagreb.
The UK Department of Health put out a new travel advisory saying British travelers returning from northern Italy – areas north of Pisa, Florence and Rimini – should self-isolate if they display flu-like symptoms. The advice was issued the week after some schools took half-term breaks, a period when many British families travel to other European countries.
A team of health experts from the World Health Organization and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control arrived in Italy on Monday to assist local authorities.
Italian officials announced sweeping restrictions over the weekend for parts of the regions of Lombardy and Veneto, effectively putting around 100, (people in quarantine)
Tourist attractions have been closed, private meetings have been banned and schools have been shut. People in these areas are being asked to stay inside and avoid contact with others.
The measures also include transport restrictions in some places and the surveillance and quarantine of individuals who may have been exposed to the virus, according to Italy’s health minister.
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