Italy prepares new restrictions to fight spike in coronavirus cases

Italian Health Minister Roberto Speranza said on Sunday (October 11) that Italy needed to add restrictions after having eased them for several weeks, as it aims to avoid a new national lockdown.

Italy on Friday (October 9) topped 5,000 new COVID-19 cases in a single day for the first time since March. Daily infections remained over 5,000 both on Saturday and Sunday.

Deaths linked to COVID-19 are far fewer, however, than at the height of the pandemic in the country in March and April.

Speranza said he proposed a ban on private parties, involving both children and adults, while Rome would also target hours for bars and restaurants to reduce people's contagion risks.

Other measures could involve sports with physical contact that offer no chance to wear a mask, he said without elaborating further.

Rome last Wednesday (October 7) made it mandatory to wear face masks outdoors nationwide.