Coronavirus: Foreign Office changes travel advice after lockdown in Italy
The Foreign Office has changed its travel advice stating that it advises against all but essential travel to parts of the country.
Following the lockdown in northern regions, the government has advised against travel to the Lombardy region, which includes the city of Milan, and other regions in lockdown.
It faced backlash after advising against all but essential travel to just 10 small towns in the Lombardy region and one in the Veneto region of Italy despite a mandatory quarantine in the Lombardy region.
British nationals can still leave Italy without restriction.
A spokesperson for British Airways said: “We are monitoring the situation closely and we will continue to liaise with government and global health authority and follow their advice.”
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The Italian government has placed 16m people in its northern regions under a lockdown, in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
The law was signed overnight by prime minister Giuseppe Conte and means people cannot enter or leave Lombardy and a number of other provinces. It will remain in place until 3 April.
Across Italy, museums and cultural institutions are closed while sporting fixtures are being played behind closed doors.
Italy confirmed 100 new deaths from coronavirus with the official tally now up to 366.
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