[WATCH] Coronavirus: All of Italy on lockdown – prime minister

All of Italy will be placed under the lockdown conditions thus far imposed upon the so-called “red zone” in the north of the country, Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte has said.

The restrictions will include banning all public gatherings and preventing all movement other than for work and emergencies.

In a statement, Conte said the decision was necessary to protect Italy’s most vulnerable citizens and that the right course of action now is for people to stay at home.

The lockdown means that all public gatherings are banned, schools will remain closed until 3 April and a stop to all Serie A football matches.

The latest figures show that infections from Covid-19 in Italy have shot up to 7,985, including 463 deaths.