ROME (Reuters) – Italy on Wednesday ordered people arriving from Croatia, Greece, Malta and Spain to take a COVID-19 test and added Colombia to a list of countries subject to a total ban amid the growing fear of new infections.
Italy, once the world’s most affected country, has controlled and involved the number of infections in recent weeks, but officials are involved in a slow resurgence.
On Wednesday, the government recorded 481 new instances and 10 deaths, twice the degrees observed in June, when strict blocking measures imposed since March eased.
As annual summer leave peaks, fitness prepares for travelers to return from destinations where social remoteness, mask and other protective measures appear to have largely been ignored.
Health Minister Roberto Speranza announced Wednesday that he had signed an order requiring antibody or swab testing on all arrivals in the 4 countries and said there would be a ban on arrivals and passengers in transit from Colombia.
“We will have to continue on the path of caution to protect the effects we have achieved in recent months by sacrificing everyone,” he said on Facebook.
Greece reported 262 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, its highest count since the outbreak began, while Spain reported nearly 1,700 new cases.
Malta, which had reduced instances to 0 for a few days, reintroduced some controls last week after a jump.
Earlier this month, the Italian government extended a series of measures until September, adding to tell others to wear masks in enclosed public spaces and a distance of at least 1 meter, while recommending frequent hand washing.
Reporting through James Mackenzie; Edited by Andrew Cawthorne
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