Friday, 29 Mar 2024

Tourists desert coronavirus-stricken Milan

Tourists desert coronavirus-stricken Milan: Italian city’s streets are empty as holidaymakers stay away from the country’s capital of fashion and design

  • The streets of Milan are eerily empty as Italy struggles with battling an outbreak of the deadly coronavirus 
  • Italy went from six cases to more than 400 with 12 dead since last Friday, the worst outbreak in Europe so far
  • The usually bustling tourist hotspot, where visitors typically pack in to see the historic sites, looks abandoned

The typically-bustling streets of Milan have been left empty as Italy struggles with the spread of the deadly coronavirus. 

The country went from six cases to more than 400 with 12 dead since last Friday, becoming Europe’s worst-affected region.

Now Milan’s once-packed roads have been left empty as the country battles with being the continent’s hardest-hit city.  

One of the main road of the Brera neighborhood in the city centre are seen empty, while roads and squares in the Bicocca University neighborhood, usually full of hundreds of university students, were eerily quiet. 

The Duomo Square is seen empty on February 26, 2020 in Milan, Italy, as the country struggles with the coronavirus outbreak

Roads and squares in the Bicocca University neighborhood, usually packed full of hundreds of university students, are seen empty on February 26 as Italy becomes the European country worst-hit by the coronavirus 

One of the main road of the Brera neighborhood in the city center are seen empty on February 26 in Milan, Italy

Two tourists wearing protective masks are seen on a terrace in the city centre on February 26 in Milan. The country is struggling to understand how it went from six coronavirus cases to more than 400 cases and 12 dead since last Friday

The Vittorio Emanuele Gallery in the city centre is seen empty on February 26 in Milan, Italy. Many communities across the Lombardy and Veneto regions have seen the suspension of public events and church services, and the closure of schools, universities and museums

Via degli Omenoni in Milan’s city centre is seen empty on February 26. Twelve towns have been locked down entirely, with road blocks preventing the exit and entrance of people

The Duomo Square, the main city square of Milan and a popular tourist hotspot in the city, was devoid of the crowds this afternoon. 

Meanwhile subways in the city were largely empty. Two commuters wearing protective face masks were pictured climbing the otherwise deserted escalator stairs. 

Many communities across the Lombardy and Veneto regions have seen the suspension of public events and church services, and the closure of grade schools, universities and museums.  

Twelve towns have been locked down entirely, with road blocks preventing the exit and entrance of people. 

The government has also imposed quarantines for those who have had close contact with confirmed cases of the illness. 

One of the main road of the Brera neighborhood. Twelve towns have been locked down entirely, with road blocks preventing the exit and entrance of people

Largo Augusto in the city centre is seen empty on February 26. The government has imposed quarantines for those who have had close contact with confirmed cases of the illness

A main road in the city center is seen empty on Wednesday. The European Union’s health chief Stella Kyriakides, on a visit to Rome, called for calm as Italy’s government prepared measures to try to bolster the economy, which looks certain to tip into recession because of the contagion

Corso Vittorio Emanuele in the city centre. The outbreak is centred on Italy’s industrial heartlands of Lombardy and Veneto, and the government has closed schools and universities, shuttered cinemas and banned public events in an effort to prevent the spread of the highly infectious disease

Local authorities announced on Wednesday that bars and clubs in Milan can re-open in the evenings, in the first rollback of tough restrictions imposed at the weekend to try to contain a coronavirus outbreak in Italy. 

The outbreak is centred on Italy’s industrial heartlands of Lombardy and Veneto, and the government has closed schools and universities, shuttered cinemas and banned public events in an effort to prevent the spread of the highly infectious disease.

Hotels say they have been hit by cancellations while bar, club and disco owners wrote to the mayor of Lombardy’s capital, Milan, to urge him to lift a 6.00 p.m. curfew on their operations.

‘Our sector, which has helped Milan sparkle in the world, has been brought to its knees by the ban,’ said a petition on Facebook which was launched by Santeria Toscana 31 club and was rapidly signed by more than 100 other businesses.

But even though early closing was lifted in time for Wednesday evening trade, there seemed to be few people around to take advantage in the eerily empty city.

‘We have reverted to usual hours,’ said Antonio Musotto, manager of the Archimede Caffe. ‘The problem is the people have vanished.’

Biffi, a very famous restaurant usually fully booked at lunch time, is seen empty in the city center on February 26. Local authorities announced on Wednesday that bars and clubs in Milan can re-open in the evenings, in the first rollback of tough restrictions imposed at the weekend to try to contain a coronavirus outbreak in Italy

One of the main road of the Brera neighborhood in the city center are seen empty on February 26. Hotels say they have been hit by cancellations while bar, club and disco owners wrote to the mayor of Lombardy’s capital, Milan, to urge him to lift a 6.00 p.m. curfew on their operations

Two passengers of the subway are wearing a protective mask on an almost empty subway on February 26, 2020

The European Union’s health chief Stella Kyriakides, on a visit to Rome, called for calm as Italy’s government prepared measures to try to bolster the economy, which looks certain to tip into recession because of the contagion.

‘This is a situation of concern, but we must not give in to panic,’ Kyriakides said after meeting Italy’s health minister and the regional head of the World Health Organization (WHO).

‘There are still many unknowns about this virus and in particular its origin and how it spreads.’

The head of the national Civil Protection agency, Angelo Borrelli, told reporters the death toll from the flare-up had risen to 12 from 11 the day before, with a 69-year old man dying in the northern region of Emilia Romagna.

Like all those who have died so far, the man had underlying health problems that made him vulnerable to the disease.

In all, almost 420 cases have been registered, including at least six children.

Italians or people who had recently visited the north of the country have tested positive in Greece, Spain, Austria, Switzerland, Croatia and France since the weekend.

Concern over infections meant Inter Milan’s Europa League match at home against Bulgaria’s Ludogorets Razgrad must be played behind closed doors on Thursday.

Irish rugby authorities postponed the country’s Six Nations fixture against Italy in Dublin on March 7 to prevent any Italian supporters from unwittingly bringing the coronavirus to Ireland.

Source: Read Full Article

Related Posts