On Thursday, Italy overtook China as the country to register most deaths from the highly contagious virus. Until today, Italy had never recorded more than 475 deaths in a single day, while China, where the virus has slowed sharply, has never reported more than 150. Diego Fernandes , 46 and Deni Salgado, 30, were married in Naples today – but wore protective masks as they kissed as a precaution against the coronavirus pandemic There were no guests at the newlyweds’ ceremony, only witnesses, as public gatherings are banned as part of Italy’s lockdown measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 The couple stepped out onto the almost deserted streets of Naples.

Their celebration comes as Italy’s health ministry today approved new measures to limit people’s movements in an effort to contain the worst coronavirus outbreak in Europe. From Saturday, parks and public gardens will be shut down and people will be allowed to take exercise only around their homes The government last week ordered restaurants, bars and most shops to shut down nationwide until March 25. In addition, it shut schools and universities and told everyone to stay at home unless absolutely essential until April 3 On Thursday, Italy overtook China as the country to register most deaths from the highly contagious virus The total number of cases in Italy rose to 47,021 from a previous 41,035, an increase of 14.6%, the Civil Protection Agency said.

The hardest-hit northern region of Lombardy remains in a critical situation, with 2,549 deaths and 22,264 cases. Of those originally infected nationwide, 5,129 had fully recovered on Friday compared to 4,440 the day before. There were 2,655 people in intensive care against a previous 2,498. It follows Lombardy sending for the army to enforce its coronavirus lockdown today as 380 more people died in that region alone and doctors in Italy’s crisis-hit hospitals described an ‘endless stream’ of sick patients.  The region in northern Italy has hired 114 soldiers to keep people inside after some Italians defied the country’s quarantine rules – hampering its efforts to halt the world’s deadliest outbreak.  Italy’s coronavirus death toll has leapt by 627 in a single day, an increase of 18.4 percent.

It follows the region of Lombardy hiring 114 soldiers – two of whom are pictured in Milan today –  to keep people inside  More than 53,000 people have already been issued with summons for violating the rules, with some people going shopping several times a day while others have been exercising together outdoors.