Advertisement

Italy suspends all China flights as coronavirus cases confirmed in Rome

AFP
AFP - [email protected]
Italy suspends all China flights as coronavirus cases confirmed in Rome
Chinese passengers at Rome's Fiumicino airport. Photo: Tiziana Fabi/AFP

The Italian government announced it was suspending all flights between Italy and China and declared a state of emergency in the country after doctors confirmed two Chinese tourists in Rome had tested positive for the coronavirus.

Advertisement

Health Minister Roberto Speranza has issued a "decree closing air traffic to and from China," Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte told a news conference late on Thursday, without giving a list of the affected airlines.

"We think we are the first EU country to take this precautionary measure," Conte added after reporting that the two Chinese visitors to the capital had the virus.

The tourists, reportedly husband and wife, were being held in isolation in the Spallanzani infectious diseases institute in Rome.

"I'm confident that the situaion will remain contained," Conte said.

Chinese airport staff at Rome's Fiumicino airport. Photo: AFP

Police sealed off the room they had been staying at a hotel in the centre of the capital, and other Chinese tourists who had arrived in Italy as part of the same tour group were being tested for the virus, Italian media said.

Spallanzani director Giuseppe Ippolito said authorities were tracing the couple's movements. They are believed to have arrived in Italy in the northern city of Milan over a week ago.

READ ALSO:

The news came as the UN health agency WHO declared an international emergency over the coronavirus from China, which reported its biggest single-day jump in deaths.

But the World Health Organization said there was no reason to restrict flights and trade partly because it might disrupt needed aid.

Advertisement

Over 6,000 tourists spent Thursday stranded on a cruise ship at Civitavecchio, a port north-west of Rome, after authorities said two Chinese passengers were feared to have the coronavirus.

Those two supsected cases tested negative, and passengers were allowed to disembark on Thursday night.

The Costa Smerelda ship confined passengers on board on Thursday amid coronavirus fears. Photo: AFP

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also