Italy Shuts Down All Schools Over Coronavirus Outbreak

Officials Say People Should Avoid Kissing

A tourist visits Milan's Duomo cathedral in Milan, Italy, on March 2, 2020. Yara Nardi/Reuters

Italy’s government announced it will close all schools and universities across the country to prevent the further spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus after thousands have cases have been reported in more than a week.

All schools are slated to be closed starting Thursday, March 5, and will be shut down until Saturday, March 15, according to Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and Education Minister Lucia Azzolina. The move will affect about 8 million students in the country.