Italy reports fourth coronavirus death

It was the third death in Lombardy, where villages have been put in lock down and security measures enforced in a bid to stem the spread of the disease, the region’s health department said.

The head of Italy’s civil protection department, Angelo Borrelli, said Sunday that more than 150 people had now tested positive for the virus in the country, which has the most number of confirmed cases in Europe.

Eleven towns — 10 in Lombardy and one in neighboring Veneto — are under lock down, with some 50,000 residents prohibited from leaving.

Regional authorities have ordered gathering spots, such as bars, restaurants and discos to close.

The spread of the virus has disrupted high profile events including Milan Fashion Week and the Venice Carnival while Serie A football matches have been postponed. Operas have also had to be cancelled at Milan’s famed La Scala.

Most of the cases in Italy are in Lombardy, a prosperous region in the country’s north, and can be traced back to a 38-year-old man whom authorities have called “patient one”.