On January 29, when Italy detected and isolated its first coronavirus cases – two Chinese tourists – authorities were sure they had put together the safest protection system in Europe.
The following day, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte immediately declared a state of emergency for six months, and made Italy the first country to block flights from China. “We can reassure all the citizens, the situation is under control,” he said. “We expected cases in Italy too.”
Italy, a member state of the European Union and a popular tourist destination, joined the list of coronavirus-affected countries on 30 January when two COVID-19 positive cases were reported in Chinese tourists.