Story By: Ana Lacasa, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash

An Italian town has been placed under complete lockdown after around 200 residents gathered for the funeral of the mayor who died from coronavirus.

The measures have been taken in the municipality of Saviano, in the southern Italian region of Campania after residents gathered to attend the funeral fo Mayor Carmine Sommesse, 66, who worked as a doctor and died from coronavirus.

Images from the funeral show dozens of people in streets in face masks walking with a hearse.

Regional President Vincenzo De Luca, 70, ordered for both entrance and the exit from the municipality, that has around 15,000 inhabitants, to be banned until 25th April.

De Luca said that secondary roads going into the municipality must be blocked off and public offices were closed.

De Luca said: “It is an inevitable decision to avoid the area becoming a focus of contagion and to protect the health of the residents of Saviano and the surrounding towns, in a territory with a high population density”.

Healthcare experts reportedly recommended De Luca completely lock the town down and to identify those who participated in the funeral.

The Crisis Unit of Campania told local media: “The potential risk for the spread of the virus is high and it could put the health of the citizens in nearby towns at risk”.

Italy has been in quarantine since 9th March and the nationwide measures will be extended until 9th May, local media report.

According to the latest figures from the Johns Hopkins University, Italy has registered 178,972 cases of COVID-19 and 23,660 deaths.

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