What's Happening: Italy under lockdown, officials infected

A worker sprays disinfectant as sanitization operations against Coronavirus are carried out in the museum hosted by the Maschio Angioino medieval castle, in Naples, Italy, Tuesday, March 10, 2020. (Alessandro Pone/LaPresse via AP)

In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, Chinese President Xi Jinping talks by video with patients and medical workers at the Huoshenshan Hospital in Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province, Tuesday, March 10, 2020. China's president visited the center of the global virus outbreak Tuesday as Italy began a sweeping nationwide travel ban and people worldwide braced for the possibility of recession. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can ca…

A member of the medical staff measures the temperature of a traveller at a autobahn park place near Gries am Brenner, Austrian province of Tyrol, at border crossing with Italy on Tuesday, March 10, 2020. Austria authorities started on random checks of arriving vehicles at the border crossings with Italy in reaction to the outbreak of the new coronavirus in Europe, particularly in Italy. As part of the move, officials measure the temperatures of some passengers in cars, trucks and buses. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For so…

A masked woman wearing a hand glove takes a selfie at the Wangfujing shopping district in Beijing, Tuesday, March 10, 2020. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

A man wears a mask as he carries his groceries at Campo dei Fiori open-air market, in Rome, Tuesday, March 10, 2020. The Italian government is assuring its citizens that supermarkets will remain open and stocked after panic buying erupted after broad anti-virus measures were announced nationwide, sparking overnight runs on 24-hour markets. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

A man wearing a protective face mask sits on a bench with a disinfectant notice at the Wangfujing shopping district in Beijing, Tuesday, March 10, 2020. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

People wearing face masks walk across the Millennium footbridge backdropped by the dome of St Paul's Cathedral in London, Tuesday, March 10, 2020. Starkly illustrating the global east-to-west spread of the new coronavirus, Italy began an extraordinary, sweeping nationwide travel ban on Tuesday while in China, the diminishing threat prompted the president to visit the epicenter and declare: ""We will certainly defeat this epidemic." (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

by The Associated Press
| March 10, 2020 7:57 AM

ROME (AP) — Italy enters its first day under a nationwide lockdown after a government decree extended restrictions on movement from the hard-hit north to the rest of the country. As the numbers of infected surged in Italy, there were more signs of normality returning to China, where President Xi Jinping’ made his first trip to the virus’ epicenter of Wuhan. The contrast illustrated the global east-to-west spread of the virus.

These are some of the latest developments on Tuesday:

ITALY BEGINS LIFE UNDER NATIONWIDE LOCKDOWN

Italy enters its first day under a nationwide lockdown after a decree signed late Monday by Premier Giuseppe Conte extended restrictions on movement from hard-hit northern regions to the rest of the country. Panic buying erupted, prompting the government to assure citizens that supermarkets will remain open and stocked. Conte's office said runs on supermarkets went counter to the intent of the new decree, which aims to prevent Italians from congregating. Soldiers and police enforced the travel ban and Carabinieri teams patrolled cafes to make sure owners were keeping customers a meter (about three feet) apart. Meanwhile, neighbors Malta and Italy slammed their borders with Italy shut.

CHINA'S PRESIDENT VISITS VIRUS EPICENTER

Chinese President Xi Jinping made his first visit to the coronavirus’ epicenter of Wuhan — his first since the start of the outbreak — as parts of the nation appeared to be returning to normal. It was one of several recent signs of the diminishing threat the coronavirus presents in China as the illness spreads west. In mainland China, where the outbreak emerged in December, almost three quarters of the more than 80,000 patients who contracted the virus have recovered. Employees have been returning to work, but with new routines that include workers wearing protective face masks and not facing each other while eating.

VIRUS INFECTING POLITICAL AND MILITARY LEADERS

A growing number of military and political leaders are getting sick with the virus. Poland's top army commander, Gen. Jaroslaw Mika, was diagnosed after returning from a meeting in Germany. Many other officials are in self-isolation after potential exposure, including President Donald Trump's new chief of staff, the German interior minister and the Norwegian defense minister. The Spanish parliament’s lower house canceled its activities for a week after a far-right Vox party member tested positive as cases in the country surged to 1,600. This follows the French culture minister and several French lawmakers testing positive for the virus. In Italy, Nicola Zingaretti, the governor of the Lazio region who is also head of the Democratic Party, is also recovering.

STOCKS STEADY AFTER PLUNGE

Global stock markets rebounded and oil prices recovered some after a torrid day on Monday. Markets in Europe and Asia were higher and stocks on Wall Street also surged. Monday’s global selloff reflected alarm over the potential economic pain in the wake of factory closures and strict controls on travel. Israel, for example, has decided to quarantine all visitors to the country, while Austria says it will be barring entry to most travelers from Italy.

ITALY'S PATIENT NO. 1 GETTING BETTER

Italian doctors celebrated one small victory in their battle against the coronavirus after a 38-year-old man was moved out of intensive care for the first time since he tested positive Feb. 21. He is considered to be the first Italian to have contracted the coronavirus — Patient No. 1. But in the rest of northern Italy, the virus’ spread was growing so exponentially that doctors were having to decide who gets priority in care and access to intensive care unit beds. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, and the vast majority of people recover. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

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The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak