Ghost town: Venice deserted as coronavirus fears sweep Italy
The Italian city of Venice has turned into a ghost town as coronavirus fears sweep the north of the country.
Following a reported 50% increase in coronavirus cases on Sunday, the historic tourist destination has been deserted by residents and visitors alike.
Eerie pictures of empty boats, canals and even St Mark’s Square this weekend revealed the level of fear in the city.
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The Venetian tourism industry is still reeling after severe flooding in November left much of the city under water, it is now facing a very different crisis. More than 1,600 cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in Italy – higher than any other country outside Asia – and 34 people have died.
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France has been warned to prepare for an outbreak similar to Italy as the virus spreads across Europe.
The Louvre museum in Paris shut on Sunday after 300 staff voted “almost unanimously” not to open.
Both France and Switzerland, which banned mass gatherings, have cautioned citizens not use “la bise” – greeting people with a kiss – for fear of spreading the virus.
Twelve more people in England and one in Scotland have tested positive for coronavirus, taking the total number of UK cases to 36 on Monday.
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Three of the new cases in England were linked to a man from Surrey who was the first to be infected within the UK.
It comes after health secretary Matt Hancock said the UK was still in the "containment" phase of the outbreak.
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He said the government contingency plans, which will be published this week, included banning big events.
Boris Johnson will chair his first emergency Cobra meeting on coronavirus on Monday morning.
Public Health England has warned that Britain needs to be prepared for "more widespread transmission" of the coronavirus – including cases that might be "quite challenging".