UPDATE 01 March 2020 - The CDC recommends that travelers avoid nonessential travel to Italy at this time, as the CDC assigned their Level-3 Alert warning. The Department of State has issued a Level-3 Warning for all of Italy and a Level-4 - Do Not Travel for Northern Italy.

Many countries in Europe are point their fingers at Italy as the point of origin for the onward spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). As of 27 February, Italy has had 14 deaths due to COVID-19. There have been 528 cases identified, with 42 individuals who the Ministry of Health have identified as “recovered.”

On 25 February, the Italian government decreed emergency powers to address the “health risk associated with the onset of diseases deriving from transmissible viral agents.

The Italian Ministry of Health is issuing daily updates: Read Italian COVID-19 updates here.

The Ministry goes on to explain that currently there are 278 individuals in home isolation, 159 hospitalized with symptoms and 37 in intensive care.

How did COVID-19 get to Italy

According to the Daily Mail, “38-year-old man, known only as Mattia, went to hospital in Codogno, northern Italy, three times with flu-like symptoms before doctors finally screened and diagnosed him with the killer virus. In that time he passed it onto at least 13 people, including his wife Valentina, a friend he went jogging with, two doctors, his GP, three elderly pubgoers and a 77-year-old woman who was killed by the disease.“

COVID-19 cases by Italian Region

• Lombardy: 305 (Increase of +47 cases compared to the bulletin of February 26th - 6pm)
• Veneto: 98 (Increase of +27 cases compared to the bulletin of February 26th - 6pm)
• Emilia Romagna: 97 (Increase of + 50 cases compared to the bulletin of February 26th - 6pm)
• Liguria: 11
• Lazio: 3 (the 2 Chinese tourists and the resigned researcher)
• Marche: 3 (Increase of +2 cases compared to the bulletin of February 26th - 6pm)
• Piedmont: 3
• Sicily: 3
• Campania: 2
• Tuscany: 2
• Abruzzo:1
• Autonomous Province of Bolzano: 1

Italy - Towns currently locked down

• Bertonico
• Terranova dei Passerini
• Castiglione d’Adda
• Casalpusterlengo
• Castelgerundo
• Somaglia
• Codogno
• Fombio
• Maleo
• Vo’ Eugane
• San Fiorano

Milan

Milan is not locked down. Milan has canceled major events, including portions of the Milan Fashion Week. In addition, major soccer matches have been suspended.

Venice

Venice is not locked down. Venice canceled this week’s Carnival celebration. In addition, museums are closed.

ADVISORIES on Italy

US Center for Disease Control on Italy

Updated 01 March 2019 - The CDC has issued a “Level 3 Alert” for Italy. What this means is travelers should avoid all nonessential travel.

US Department of State on Italy

Updated 01 March 2019 - The DoS has issued a “Level 3 - Reconsider Travel.” for much of Italy.

For those areas in Lombardy and Veneto, they have issued a Level 4 - Warning - DO NOT Travel. This is tied directly to the outbreak of COVID-19 in the northern regions of Italy.

The U.S. Embassy Rome has an information page which provides up to date resources and information affecting US citizens.

Canada Global Affairs Ministry on Italy

Canada’s Global Affairs Ministry has urged its citizens to exercise a high degree of caution when traveling to Northern Italy due to COVID-19.

Australian Department of Foreign Affairs on Italy

Australian Department of Foreign Affairs has also urged its citizens to exercise a high degree of caution in the broad area across northern Italy, as detailed in the map to the below, due to COVID-19.

COVID-19: Traveling in and out of the United States

Securely Travel has published a post, which we are updating regularly, with resources to monitor the spread of COVID-19 and steps travelers may take to protect themselves. In addition, we have added to our menu a mirror cite for the U.S. CDC COVID-19 specifically. This mirror cite is updated when CDC updates their information automatically. Additionally, international travel advisories issued by the United States, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom are available on Securely Travel’s International Travel Alert page.

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