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PLAGUE FEARS

Passengers arriving in UK from Italy told to isolate for 14 days but STILL won’t face any health checks

THE Foreign Office last night warned Brits not to travel to Italy after the whole country was put under coronavirus lockdown - but passengers flying into the UK will NOT be screened.

Italy has the highest number of confirmed cases outside of China at 9,172 and its death toll stands at 463.

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 A completely empty San Marco Square, in Venice
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A completely empty San Marco Square, in VeniceCredit: Getty Images - Getty

On Monday evening, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said the safety of Britons was the "number one priority" as it amended its travel advice.

A statement from the FCO said: "We have amended our travel advice to recommend against all but essential travel to Italy. The safety of British nationals is always our number one priority.

"The advice is that anyone who arrives from Italy subsequent to Italian government decision should now self-isolate for 14 days."

The FCO had faced a backlash yesterday over its "confusing" advice for Brits with holidays booked in Italy.

Hours after the decision to quarantine 16 million people in northern Italy, the FCO was still advising that it was safe to travel anywhere in Italy except for the 11 towns where the outbreak originated.

The advice was updated later to warn against "all but essential" travel to the whole Lombardy region and said there were no restrictions on people leaving Italy.

Meanwhile many British flights returning home from Italy were allowed to land with no checks.

Despite the updated advice on Monday evening, Public Health England said screenings would still not be carried out.

Instead "enhanced monitoring" would see cabin crew being trained to spot symptoms, while posters and leaflets around airports will give pointers on how to look out for an infected patient.

But Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, said: "There must be an improvement on the speed with which this information is provided, and there should not be a repeat of the confusion passengers experienced when the restrictions for Milan, Venice and Lombardy were initially announced.

"Airlines must do the right thing and allow passengers, who will understandably not want to travel, to cancel for a refund, or rebook at a later date or on a different flight."

CORONAVIRUS LOCKDOWN

Cases of the virus have been confirmed in all 20 Italian regions.

Over the weekend, 16 million people in northern Italy were placed under quarantine to try and contain the spread of Covid 19.

But Italy's prime minister has now extended its strict quarantine measures to the entire country as it struggles to contain Europe's worst outbreak of the deadly virus.

The extraordinary measures, which come into effect on Tuesday, will see all public events banned, cinemas, gyms, discos and pubs closed, funerals and weddings cancelled and sporting matches including Serie A games suspended.

 Police and soldiers check travellers at Milan train station
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Police and soldiers check travellers at Milan train stationCredit: AP:Associated Press
 Prisoners of the San Vittore Prison protest on the roof against their treatment during the coronavirus outbreak in Milan
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Prisoners of the San Vittore Prison protest on the roof against their treatment during the coronavirus outbreak in MilanCredit: Getty Images - Getty
 Medical staff in protective suits treat coronavirus patients in an intensive care unit at the Cremona hospital in northern Italy
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Medical staff in protective suits treat coronavirus patients in an intensive care unit at the Cremona hospital in northern ItalyCredit: Reuters

Giuseppe Conte said people would only be allowed to travel for work or family emergencies.

He said the drastic measures had been introduced because the country had "no time left".

Mr Conte said that the best thing for Italians was to stay at home.

He said: "We want to guarantee the health of our citizens. We understand that these measures will impose sacrifices, sometimes small and sometimes very big.

"But this is a time where we must take responsibility for ourselves."

He added: "We have to limit the spread of the virus and prevent our hospitals from being overwhelmed.

"I will take responsibility for these measures. Our future is in our hands.

"No more nightlife...we can't allow this anymore since they are occasions for contagion."

Schools and universities will remain closed until April 3 beyond the original extension of March 15.

The number of deaths from coronavirus in Italy rose from 366 to 463 on Monday and the total number of cases jumped to 9,172.

Under the new decree, people will only be able to move between cities for emergency reasons and can face fines and up to three months in prison for breaking quarantine rules.

Checkpoints on motorways, toll booths, train stations and airports are expected to be introduced on Tuesday.

PRISON RIOTS

Earlier on Monday, six inmates died amid riots at prisons across the country after authorities suspended all visits from family and friends.

The trouble began in the northern city of Modena after inmates at the Sant'Anna prison were told all visits had been suspended.

Three people were reported to have died at the prison, while a further three died after being transferred from there.

At San Vittore prison in Milan, inmates set fire to a cell block, then climbed onto the roof through windows and unfurled banners.

At a prison in the southern city of Foggia, about 20 inmates managed to break out of the building during protests.

There were also riots at several other jails across the country.

The number of infections worldwide is now more than 111,000, with about 3,890 deaths.

 Relatives of Rebibbia prison's inmates face police after inmates staged a protest against new coronavirus containment measures
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Relatives of Rebibbia prison's inmates face police after inmates staged a protest against new coronavirus containment measuresCredit: AP:Associated Press
 Anti-riot police officers at the Sant'Anna prison in Modena
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Anti-riot police officers at the Sant'Anna prison in ModenaCredit: AFP or licensors
 A waitress cleans in the middle of the tables of a cafe in an empty square in Venice
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A waitress cleans in the middle of the tables of a cafe in an empty square in VeniceCredit: Getty Images - Getty
 A deserted San Marco Square in Venice following the quarantine measures
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A deserted San Marco Square in Venice following the quarantine measuresCredit: Getty Images - Getty
 A medical officer on board a train in Salerno during checks on passengers coming from the north
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A medical officer on board a train in Salerno during checks on passengers coming from the north
 Italian police block a road in northern Italy following the announcement to quarantine more than 16 million people
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Italian police block a road in northern Italy following the announcement to quarantine more than 16 million people
 The Doge palace in Venice is deserted as Italy goes into lockdown over the coronavirus crisis
The Doge palace in Venice is deserted as Italy goes into lockdown over the coronavirus crisisCredit: AFP or licensors
Inside coronavirus intensive care unit in Cremona, northern Italy