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Italy's Streets Are Hauntingly Empty as Nationwide Lockdown Begins (PHOTOS) | The Weather Channel
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Coronavirus

Photos show near-empty streets throughout the country, with just a few brave souls venturing out into public.

ByNicole Bonaccorso•March 13, 2020

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A Venetian sits outside the historical cafe called 'The lost Paradise' at the fondamenta della Misericordia on March 9, 2020, in Venice, Italy. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced a "national emergency" due to the coronavirus outbreak and imposed quarantines on the Lombardy and Veneto regions, which contain roughly a quarter of the country's population. Italy has the highest number of cases and fatalities in Europe. The movements in and out are allowed only for work reasons, health reasons proven by a medical certificate.The justifications for the movements needs to be certified with a self-declaration by filling in forms provided by the police forces in charge of the checks. (Marco Di Lauro/Getty Images)

Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte declared a national emergency in response to the country's coronavirus outbreak starting Tuesday, with strict orders regarding movement allowances. The order includes travel restrictions and a ban on public gatherings.

Conte urged people in Italy to stay home. Schools and universities are to remain closed until April 3, according to BBC. Travel is only allowed for work purposes or family obligations that cannot be postponed.

"No more nightlife; we can't allow this anymore since they are occasions for contagion," Conte said.

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(MORE: Coronavirus Death Toll Climbs to 4,000 Worldwide)

Photos show near-empty streets throughout the country, with just a few brave souls venturing out into public, many wearing protective face masks.

The Vatican announced Saint Peter's Square and Saint Peter Basilica are closed to the public.

Italy has been the epicenter of Europe's outbreak, with 9,172 confirmed cases and 463 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins coronavirus dashboard.

MORE FROM WEATHER.COM: Here's What Coronavirus is Doing to the Travel Industry

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This photograph taken on Feb. 12, 2020, shows the nearly empty water attractions at Pattaya Park Resort in Pattaya, Thailand. Pattaya Park Beach Resort is one of the main attractions for Chinese tourists in Pattaya but is almost deserted due to the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. (Mladen Antonov/AFP via Getty Images)


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