10:36,

YEREVAN, MARCH 10, ARMENPRESS. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia has updated its travel advisory against Italy to the highest Do Not Travel warning as the country is battling the novel coronavirus outbreak.

The Armenian foreign ministry called on all nationals currently in Italy to immediately return to Armenia.

“Given the Italian authorities’ announced measures for the prevention of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) spread, we call on Armenian nationals to strictly refrain from traveling to Italy, and those who are currently in Italy to immediately cut short their trip and return to Armenia”, the foreign ministry said.

Armenian citizens are urged to contact the embassy.

Earlier the MFA had advised against all but non-essential travel.

Italy has extended its emergency coronavirus measures, which include travel restrictions and a ban on public gatherings, to the entire country.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced that he is extending restrictions already in place in the north.

"All the measure of the red zones are now extended to all of the national territory," Conte said at a press conference on Monday evening as he also announced a ban on all public events, CNN reported.

The Prime Minister said the move was taken in order to protect the population. His announcement came at the end of a chaotic day that saw prison riots across the country. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte ordered people to stay home and seek permission for essential travel.

Ninety-seven people have died of the novel coronavirus since Sunday in Italy, bringing its total number of deaths to 463. The country has 9,172 cases so far.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan