Italy under complete lockdown as coronavirus cases surge over 9,000

Italy was placed under a complete lockdown after the total number of confirmed cases of coronavirus surged to 9,172 on Monday (local time), the most in any European country.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte also tightened security measures across the country, including the ban on all forms of gatherings in public places or sites, which was earlier restricted only to northern Italy to contain the spread of the virus, CNN reported.

The prime minister said that the move was to protect the population, especially the most vulnerable age group.

Italy has reported 97 deaths due to novel coronavirus since Sunday, bringing its total number of deaths to 463.

Northern Italy's Lombardy region has been under complete lockdown ever since it had reported positive cases of coronavirus. "Lombardy's health care system was one step from collapse despite efforts to free up hospital beds," the coordinator for intensive care in the region was quoted as saying.

As many as 16 million people have been put under lockdown in Italy's Lombardy region. The same lockdown has been expanded to 14 more Italian provinces.

It was further reported that a "tsunami of patients" awaited medical attention in many hospitals in the country. The number of patients can rise to as many as 18,000 or more if the coronavirus spread continues.

However, Lombardy President Attilio Fontana, in a statement, stated that the new lockdown measures may not be enough.

Expressing fears as a result of the surging cases, the president said that the measure may be in place right now but will be "insufficient" if the cases continue to rise.

Travellers, including those departing or arriving in the containment regions by airplane, were to be checked to see whether they have a self-declared travel exemption.

Checks were also introduced for cruise ship passengers arriving in Venice.