On 31 January 2020, Italy confirmed its first cases of COVID-19, commonly known as Novel Coronavirus, or simply, Coronavirus. The number of cases significantly increased by mid-February, and today, Italy has the third-highest number of Coronavirus-affected individuals in the world after China and South Korea.
• As of 6 March 2020, Italy has reported 3858 positive cases of Coronavirus. The number is increasing each day.
• As per latest reports, 414 persons have been healed, while 148 have died due to the virus.
• Most of Northern Italy seems to be the worst affected. Major regions include Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia Romagna among others.
Italian authorities have taken several measures in an attempt to contain the Coronavirus. In this exhaustive guide, we’ve curated all the necessary material and resources you would need in case you are planning to travel to Italy in the near future, or are currently in Italy.
Travelling To Italy - Here’s What You Need To Know
The Italian economy has been considerably affected by the Coronavirus. Several popular tourist attractions have closed down, major public events and festivals have been either postponed or cancelled.
Here’s how tourism and life has been affected due to Coronavirus in Italy:
City | Attraction | Status |
|---|---|---|
Milan | Teatro alla Scala | Closed |
Milan | San Siro Football Stadium | Closed |
Milan | Fondazione Prada | Closed |
Milan | Piccolo Theatre | Closed |
Venice | Fondazione Prada | Closed |
Venice | Saint Mark's Basilica | Open |
Venice | Doge's Palace | Open |
Venice | Peggy Guggenheim Collection | Open |
Rome | Museo Correr | Open |
Rome | Vatican Museum & Sistine Chapel | Open |
Rome | Colosseum | Open |
Rome | St. Peter's Basilica | Open |
Rome | Pantheon | Open |
Rome | Roman Forum | Open |
Rome | Castel Sant'Angelo | Open |
Rome | Borghese Gallery and Museum | Open |
Rome | Mouth of Truth | Open |
Northern Italy
11 towns have been placed under quarantine -- particularly in areas of Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia Romagna -- with nobody allowed in or out without express permission. These quarantine areas are part of the ‘Red Zone.’ Museums and historical sites in areas like Lombardy, Piedmont, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, and Liguria among others have been shut down. Most of Italy’s industrial areas are located in the northern region, comprising around 3000 organizations. Due to the quarantine zones and fear of the virus, industrial output has been severely affected.
Milan
Milan, the fashion and financial center of Italy, located in the Lombardy region, has been impacted by the Coronavirus. While Milan has not been placed under the shutdown, major tourist attractions like the Duomo, La Scala Theatre, Piccolo Theatre and Fondazione Prada were shut down. The Duomo reopened on 2 March 2020, while La Scala might reopen on 8 March 2020 pending confirmation from authorities. While the much-awaited Milan Fashion Week did continue on schedule, segments like the Giorgio Armani Collection were broadcast on the Internet and not to a live audience. The Milan Furniture Fair has been pushed from April to June.
Venice
In Venice, St Marks Basilica, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Palazzo Ducale and Museo del Vetro have been closed.
Rome
Rome In Rome, the Vatican Catacombs have been shut down.
Festivals
Popular public events and festivals have been either postponed or canceled due to the Coronavirus in Italy. Vinitaly, an annual wine fair, has been pushed to June from April. A few events during the last days of the widely-celebrated Venice Carnival were canceled and the festival was shut down. The Ivrea Orange Festival, held in Piedmont’s Ivrea, along with the Carnevalone Liberato, held in Poggio Mirteto was also cancelled. The Mercanteinfiera, an event dedicated to vintage and modern collectibles held in Parma, has been pushed to June, while the Children’s Book Fair held in Bologna has been postponed to May. Umbria’s International Journalism Festival, held each year in April, has been cancelled.
Sporting Events
Italy’s sporting world has been impacted as well: Four Serie A football matches, including one on Inter Milan’s home turf against Juventus, were canceled for fear of public safety. The country’s rugby and volleyball match fixtures have been pushed until further notice. The much-awaited Bologna marathon has been cancelled as well.
Across a number of cities, several bars and restaurants have shut down, while others close early in the day. If you’re planning on visiting popular tourist attractions in Italy, make sure to check official websites for updated information.
Which regions in Italy have been affected by the Coronavirus?
As of 6 March 2020, all but one of Italy’s 20 districts have been affected by the Coronavirus; Valle d’Aosta, the smallest and least populated district, has not reported any cases of Coronavirus.
The current number of positive cases stands at 3,858 with 148 reported fatalities.
Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia Romagna, Piemonte and Marche have reported the maximum number of cases, while remaining regions have confirmed less than 50.
Lombardy, home to popular tourist destinations like Milan, Bergamo and Como, has reported the maximum number of positive cases. Lombardy is where the Coronavirus outbreak first began. As of 5 March 2020, the region has reported 2,251 positive cases with 98 fatalities, the maximum in Italy. Emilia Romagna and Veneto have each reported 698 and 407 positive cases respectively.
The towns that are currently under lockdown, i.e., part of the ‘Red Zone’, include San Fiorano, Castiglione d’Adda, Somaglia, Terranova dei Passerini, Codogno, Castelgerundo, Fombio, Bertonico, Casalpusterlengo and Maleo, all in Lombardy. In Veneto, Vo’Euganeo town has been placed under lockdown.
Region | Confirmed | Fatalities | Recovered |
|---|---|---|---|
Lombardia | 2251 | 98 | 376 |
Emilia Romagna | 698 | 30 | 10 |
Veneto | 407 | 10 | 17 |
Marche | 144 | 4 | 0 |
Piemonte | 108 | 2 | 0 |
Tuscany | 61 | 0 | 1 |
Campania | 45 | 0 | 0 |
Lazio | 44 | 0 | 0 |
Liguria | 28 | 3 | 4 |
Friuli-Venezia Giulia | 21 | 0 | 0 |
Sicily | 18 | 0 | 2 |
Apulia | 14 | 1 | 1 |
Umbria | 9 | 0 | 0 |
Abruzzo | 8 | 0 | 0 |
Molise | 7 | 0 | 0 |
Trentino-South Tyrol | 7 | 0 | 0 |
Calabria | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Sardinia | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Basilicata | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Aosta Valley | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Data Source
International regulations for travel to Italy during Coronavirus
Most nations around the world have issued a travel advisory for those planning to visit or are returning from Italy.
US
The US has escalated its travel advisory to Level 4. Americans have been advised to avoid all non-essential travel to Italy, and in particular to avoid Lombardy and Veneto, regions that have been marked as unsafe for travel. American Airlines and Delta Airlines have suspended flights to major Italian airports like Milan’s Malpensa Airport. Some flights have been rerouted to Rome as the final destination. All passengers returning to the US from Italy will be screened for Coronavirus at respective airports.
UK
Similarly, the UK government has also issued a travel advisory to those intending to travel to Italy -- particularly to affected areas of Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia Romagna. The escalation is now at Level 3, as per the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Self-quarantine has been advised for those returning from Italy. Several British Airways flights have been canceled and those who wish to modify their bookings may do so until 31 March 2020. Due to a fall in demand, Wizz Air and Ryanair have canceled several flights.
Australia
The Australian government has issued a “high degree of caution” for those intending to fly to Italy. Earlier, the travel advisory was issued for travel to only Lombardy and Veneto. However, due to the rapid pace at which the Coronavirus has spread, officials have modified their cautionary warning to cover all of Italy.
Singapore
The Singapore government has advised citizens to defer all non-essential travel to northern Italy. As of 4 March 2020, non-Singapore residents who have visited northern Italy within the last 14 days will not be permitted to transit through or enter Singapore. Residents and long-term pass holders who have visited Italy in the last 14 days will be issued a Stay-Home Notice (self-quarantine).
EU
The EU has collectively made the decision to not close borders and has suggested that travelers avoid all non-essential travel to Northern Italy. It has, however, escalated Coronavirus risk level from “moderate to high.”
India
The government has canceled visas of all Italian nationals who planned to visit India. A travel advisory has been issued to those intending to travel to Italy in the near future.
Canada
The Canadian government has asked citizens to avoid any non-essential travel to Northern Italy. The travel advisory is currently at Level 3.
Japan
As per the latest reports, Japan categorizes Coronavirus at a Level 2 escalation. The government has issued a statement, advising citizens to avoid travel to Northern Italy.
For more information on travel advisories issued by different countries, check here.
Security measures at Italy’s airports
At domestic and international airports like Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa, all passengers will be monitored for the Coronavirus; their body temperature will be measured with infrared thermometers. These checks have been extended to all international passengers, as of February 5.
In case a passenger is suspected to carry Coronavirus, the emergency procedure involves immediately removing them from the premises and transferring them to an isolated medical facility. All the individuals they have had close contact with will be monitored as well. All airports in Italy have been equipped with a team of healthcare professionals to carry out these tasks.
The need for comprehensive travel insurance
While you may have purchased or plan to purchase travel insurance before your trip, it is highly recommended that you carefully read the terms & conditions beforehand. This is essential today, particularly if you plan to visit Italy or any other country with confirmed positive cases of the Coronavirus. Reading the fine print beforehand will help determine if your insurance policy covers epidemics such as the Coronavirus since most insurance plans do not cover pandemics.
Your insurance should ideally offer coverage for:
- Emergency medical coverage: in case of any emergency visits to a doctor during the trip. This will benefit in case the traveler shows symptoms of Coronavirus and is required to consult a physician.
- Interruptions or cancelations: in the event of any interruption during the trip due to which you need to fly back home, or in case your trip is canceled at the last minute due to unforeseen circumstances.
- Emergency evacuation coverage: in the unfortunate situation where you are to be evacuated from an infected zone, the right insurance policy will cover all the costs.
A standard travel insurance policy will not cover pandemics like the Coronavirus, or for that matter, any last minute changes in your travel plan. If you’ve completed all your flight and accommodation bookings and change your mind at the last minute due to any reason, the insurance provider will not cover any cancelation charges.
You should specifically check for a policy that allows you to ‘cancel for any reason.’ This generally includes coverage for pandemics like the Coronavirus. Though these are more expensive compared to a standard policy, it is highly beneficial in the unfortunate case where someone might get infected. Experts recommend that your insurance policy cover at least $50,000 worth expenses. To be sure, call and check with your insurance provider on all aspects of a policy.
Know more about travel insurance coverage here.
Is it safe to travel to Italy?
• The verdict is divided all around the world on this subject. The number of individuals infected by the Coronavirus is increasing at a rapid pace in the country. Governments around the world have issued travel advisories asking citizens to avoid all non-essential travel to Italy, particularly the northern regions.
• Reports say that public spaces like bars, restaurants and cinemas, along w
