Coronavirus Cases Surge by 50% in Italy; Delta Suspending Flights


Cases jumped from 1,128 to 1,694 in less than a day in Italy.

Italy reported a 50 percent increase in coronavirus cases Sunday, as the U.S. further restricted travel.

Italy’s Civil Protection Authority reported the country now has 1,694 confirmed coronavirus cases, up from 1,128 cases on Saturday. Thirty-four people have passed away due to the highly contagious respiratory illness, according to CNN.

Italy has the most coronavirus cases of any country outside of Asia.

Delta Air Lines is suspending its U.S. flights to Milan, the carrier announced Sunday. The last flight will depart from New York on Monday, and the last return flight will be on Tuesday.

Delta said it will resume flights to Milan on May 1. Rome flights are not affected.

Italy has placed several cities and towns in the country’s north, near Milan, on lockdown, putting an estimated 100,000 people under quarantine.

U.S. college students studying abroad are being summoned home by scores of universities.

Late Friday, the U.S. government issued a level three advisory—the second-highest level of warning—for the whole of Italy, saying that the CDC had recommended “avoiding nonessential travel,” the Associated Press reports.

Hotel and tourism cancellations in Rome hit 90%, and Venice, which was nearing recovery in the Carnival season following a tourist lull after record flooding in November, saw bookings drop immediately after regional officials–in an unprecedented move–canceled the final two days of celebrations this past week.

However, it’s important to note: despite the alarm and travel advisories, day-to-day life in most of Italy remains unaffected, and little has changed for the majority of people living in the country, The Local reports.

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