Lazio becomes latest Italian region to impose curfew to tackle rise in covid-19 cases.

Italy's central Lazio region, which includes Rome, is to be placed under curfew at night as regional authorities intensify efforts to curb the spike in covid-19 cases.

Lazio governor Nicola Zingaretti signed a new order tonight that includes a curfew, affecting the entire region, that comes into force this weekend.

The curfew will be effective from midnight until 05.00, beginning on the night of Friday 23 October.

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During the curfew, Lazio residents are only permitted to leave home for "reasons of necessity or urgency" such as work or health.

They will also need to carry an autodichiarazione, or self-certification form, to prove their reason for being on the streets.

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In addition to the curfew, the new measures include efforts to increase distance learning in high schools and universities, and strengthen the region's covid-19 hospital network.

• Covid-19: Italian regions impose curfews at night

The Lazio region registered 1,219 new cases today, 543 of which were recorded in Rome, out of a total of more than 20,000 tests.

Premier Giuseppe Conte says he is determined to avoid another national lockdown as Italy registered 15,199 new coronavirus infections today, the highest daily caseload since the start of the country’s outbreak, alongside a record number of swab tests in one day: 177,848.

#COVID: NUOVA ORDINANZA DI PREVENZIONE E GESTIONE DELL’EPIDEMIA

La Regione Lazio dispone di:https://t.co/SmvwmYzgIJ pic.twitter.com/L2uoH1ObHR

— Salute Lazio (@SaluteLazio) October 21, 2020