Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte was scheduled to hold further talks on Sunday with the technical scientific committee (CTS) advising the government, before presenting the proposed new restrictions in parliament on Monday.
The “red zone” lockdowns are expected to be at a provincial level, rather than national or regional, according to Italian news agency ANSA, and would affect metropolitan areas with the highest rises in new coronavirus cases.
The government is also reportedly considering setting up “COVID hotels” to host people who do not have space at home to self-isolate and risk infecting family members, according to ANSA.
Other measures on the table include the possibility of remote learning for all terza media high-school students, according to local media reports.
However the CTS is also believed to have stressed the need to wait a few more days to see the effects of Conte’s latest decree, which ordered bars and restaurants to close at 6:00 pm and the complete closure of cinemas, theatres, gyms and swimming pools.
The latest emergency talks come as Italy registered 31,758 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, a new daily record since the outbreak began in February.
Daily cases dropped slightly on Sunday, with 29,907 new infections recorded.
Over the last week there has been a wave of protests across Italy by citizens who say they have not received adequate or any financial assistance from the government and now face bankruptcy.
The government has announced that €5 billion will be issued to the worst hit businesses and workers, including restaurants, taxi drivers and live entertainment venues.
