Cases of the deadly coronavirus in Italy have soared in a matter of days.

Over the weekend, the European country’s cases surged from just three on Thursday to 132 by Sunday, making it the largest outbreak outside of Asia.

Schools and numerous public events, including religious events, museums, and sporting events, across the northern Italian region of Lombardy will be closed starting Monday, regional authorities announced.

The Venice Carnival has also been suspended amid the outbreak, and schools and museums are being closed in the Veneto region, regional governor Luca Zaia said.

“We ask for the cooperation of all citizens. It's not an easy moment. But, with the data we have today, we can still hope to limit the contagion,” Zaia said.

Two people who were infected with the virus have died in Italy.