19 Oct
Italy has announced it is imposing new restrictions amid a surge in coronavirus cases.
But the country has decided not to re-impose the kind of nationwide lockdown that was introduced in the spring.
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte made the announcement at a news conference on Sunday. The new measures include restrictions on operating hours at restaurants and bars.
Conte said those establishments must close at midnight. He also said that local mayors have been given the authority to close public squares and other gathering places after 9 p.m. if necessary.
The prime minister added that Italy cannot afford to contend with a new setback, as it would severely jeopardize the entire economy.
Italian officials confirmed nearly 12,000 new cases on Sunday. The country's daily tally has been rising for the last six days. Sunday's total was the highest ever.
But Italy's medical systems have not been overwhelmed, as they were during the spring.
European countries are facing a challenge. They want to tighten restrictions amid the second wave of infections. But they also want to minimize the virus's impact on their economies.
NHK
