Wexford junior minsiter warns against travel to italy as death tolls rises

The Italian government is to consider closing schools and universities across the country until the middle of March - as the number of deaths from coronavirus there rises to 79.

Classes have already been stopped in northern areas where the outbreak is at its worst, while some towns have been quarantined. There are now more than 2,500 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Italy. Wexford junior minister Paul Kehoe says anyone who is planning to go to Italy should make alternative arrangements. The Department of Foreign Affairs here have warned Irish people not to travel to affected areas in the country such as Lombard, Piedmont, Veneto and Emila-Romagna.