Italy's restrictions grow more specific in bid to slow virus

In its most far-reaching measures to stop the spread of coronavirus, Italy is slowing industrial production nationwide, while the hardest-hit region of Lombardy banned any outdoor exercise not on personal property and set distance limits on dog-walking.

Franco Locatelli, president of Italy's Higher Health Council, said on Sunday that with the new stringent measures announced this weekend, Italy had exhausted all the possible ways it could to limit personal and professional contact.

That came as Italy announced that the increase in both infections and deaths had showed the first sign of narrowing in the previous 24 hours.

"Let's continue to keep social distance,'' Locatelli said. "Let's adopt these measures, let's manage our behaviour and... certainly we will get the results we are hoping for.''