Italy to spend 25 billion euros to curb virus impact

Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced plans for "massive shock therapy" involving increased government spending to mitigate the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak.

The government will earmark 25 billion euros ($28.3 billion) to tackle the growing crisis, a significant increase from the 7.5 billion euros initially pledged last week.

He emphasized that Europe should not rely on ordinary measures to confront an unprecedented crisis.

The Italian government is exploring various initiatives and plans to discuss new economic measures with opposition representatives.

The extra spending means Italy's 2020 budget deficit looks certain to climb above 3% of national output, the ceiling set by the European Union's rules.

Italy is the worst-affected country in the world after China, with some 631 deaths and 10,149 confirmed cases since the contagion came to light on Feb. 21.

Tough restrictions on movement might be tightened further, with the northern region of Lombardy requesting all shops and public transport to close.

Prime Minister Conte stated that while protecting citizens' health is the main objective, the government must also consider other interests and civil liberties.