The Italian Government on Friday declared a state of emergency to speed up the fight against the Coronavirus and prevent it from spreading.

The move came a day after it was announced that Italy had registered its first two cases of the virus: a tourist couple from China.

The state of emergency is often declared in Italy in reaction to earthquakes, heavy storms and, as occurred recently in Venice, floods.

This is because it provides a fast-track procedure for raising funds and other resources such as civil protection for setting up shelters.

Oscar Schneider

The Brussels Times