Coronavirus: Italy's Prime Minister orders population to stay home and avoid travel

Video caption, WATCH: Leah explains what the new rules in Italy mean for people living there

Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has announced new rules to try to stop the spread of coronavirus.

The government has ordered Italy's population of 60 million people to stay at home and avoid travel wherever possible.

The new measures were introduced on Monday after a big rise in the number of people testing positive for the virus over the weekend.

Cases of the condition have now been confirmed in all 20 Italian regions - the largest number of cases seen outside of China.

Image source, AFP/ Getty Images

What are the new restrictions?

Video caption, How to wash your hands

The government had originally ordered a travel ban across Northern Italy where the country's outbreak was first seen.

Now the rules have been extended to the whole of the country.

People have been ordered to stay at home and will have to be given special permission to travel if they have important work or family reasons that can't be postponed.

The Italian government has also placed a ban on public gatherings. All sporting events have been cancelled, schools and universities will remain closed until the beginning of April and places like cinemas will also be shut. Religious and cultural events have also been suspended.

Image source, Getty Images

The prime minister said the measures were designed to protect the most vulnerable.

Those who break the quarantine could be fined or face a prison sentence of up to three months.