Italy may close schools all over country due to coronavirus: government source

An Italian army staff member wearing a white protective suit checks a room inside the military hospital of Baggio, which is opening to provide care for up to sixty people if they are suspected of being contaminated with coronavirus, in this still image taken from video, in Milan, Italy, March 3, 2020. Italian Military/Handout via REUTERS

The Italian government is considering closing schools all over the country due to its coronavirus outbreak, but no decision has been taken yet, a government source said on Wednesday.

At the moment only schools in the northern regions most affected by the epidemic are closed.

Seventy-nine people had died of the highly contagious illness in Italy up to Tuesday, with more than 2,500 confirmed cases.

Also, the Italian government is likely to order all top-flight Serie A soccer games to be played behind closed doors in efforts to curb Europe’s worst coronavirus outbreak, the sports minister says.

“We are heading towards that decision,” Vincenzo Spadafora told reporters when asked if the government was thinking of barring fans.

The government last month banned sporting events in the worst-affected northern regions.