Italy with 1,000 COVID-19 Cases: "Coronavirus Controllable... No Lockdown"

Daily Confirmed Cases at 1,365 as of the 30th
Cumulative Confirmed Cases at 268,218

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki Ha-young] Italy, at a crossroads of a resurgence of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), has reiterated that it currently has no plans for a lockdown.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte stated in an interview with the daily Corriere della Sera published on the 30th (local time), "We trust the national quarantine system currently in place," and added, "This fall, when a resurgence of COVID-19 is expected, we can respond according to the current quarantine regulations without restricting economic activities."

This statement aligns with the existing stance of the Italian health authorities that, although the number of daily COVID-19 cases is on the rise, it is still within control, and another lockdown is unnecessary. However, Conte emphasized that compliance with the current quarantine guidelines, such as wearing masks and practicing social distancing, is a prerequisite.

Italy, the second country in the world to experience the reality of virus spread damage, introduced high-intensity lockdown measures including nationwide stay-at-home orders and closure of non-essential businesses for two months starting early March. While this policy prevented further virus spread, it caused enormous damage as national economic activities were virtually paralyzed. In fact, the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) reported that the gross domestic product (GDP) in the second quarter decreased by 12.8% compared to the previous quarter. Compared to the same period last year, it fell by 17.7%, which local media reported as the worst economic contraction in 25 years.

The business community warns that if similar lockdown measures are reintroduced due to a second wave of the virus, the Italian economy could spiral into an irrecoverable catastrophe. Analysts interpret the Italian government's attempt to avoid lockdowns as a policy decision considering such economic burdens.

Since lifting the lockdown in mid-May, Italy maintained daily confirmed cases in the range of 100 to 300, but with the summer vacation season, cases surged from mid-month and recently have been around 1,000 per day. As of the 30th, the daily confirmed cases were 1,365 and deaths were 4. Consequently, the cumulative confirmed cases and deaths increased to 268,218 and 35,477, respectively.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.