Photos show what life is like inside San Fiorano, one of the Italian towns on lockdown because of the coronavirus
In Italy, where three confirmed coronavirus cases on Friday leapt to more than 370 cases by Wednesday, the government is trying to stop the coronavirus from spreading. Cities like Milan and Venice have emptied out.
In northern Italy, 11 towns with about 50,000 people are now on lockdown, in what's effectively a quarantine.
Sources: Business Insider, Reuters
San Fiorano, a small town 44 miles from Milan, is one of the 11 towns now cut off from the world. It's in Lombardy, which, along with Veneto, is one of the worst hit regions in Italy.
Sources: Business Insider, Reuters
This road into town looks empty, but far in the distance, military police are standing guard. Anyone who attempts to leave without permission could go to prison for three months, or be fined about $223.
Source: Reuters
Getting in or out requires special permission, but one local teacher named Marzio Toniolo is already on the inside, since he lives there. He documented what life is like under lockdown for Reuters.
Source: Reuters
It's not just Toniolo who's affected. He lives with his wife Chiara Zuddas, and his two-year-old daughter Bianca.
His grandparents are there, too — Gino Verani, 87, and Ines Prandini, 85.
His father Massimo Toniolo, 61, also lives in town, meaning four generations of one family are affected.
The quarantine will go for at least two weeks, and Toniolo's family is counting down the days until it is over. Here, Chiara marks off "day three."
Source: Reuters
For the elderly, it's not easy to comprehend. Toniolo told Reuters it was difficult to explain to his grandfather why the local bar was closed.
Source: Reuters
In the end he said, "We told my grandpa 100 times that the bar is not open because of the Spanish flu, to make him understand." This is because other pandemics over the years have been colloquially referred to as the Spanish flu.
Source: Reuters
Inside the town, restrictions aren't too intense. People can go outside as they please. They can take dogs for walks, go for bikes ride, or just get some fresh air.
Source: Reuters
Traffic is light. This single ambulance drove down an empty street.
The streets look entirely empty at night.
Posters have been put up around town to inform the residents that mass is canceled. The town's cemetery is closed, too.
Public buildings are also closed. Here, three masked boys sit in front of a poster explaining the closure. They don't appear to have much to do.
Others made the most of the lockdown by playing basketball. But later there might not be any basketball. Chiara Zuddas, who is also a teacher, told Reuters she planned on holding an English exam with her students next week, via WhatsApp.
Source: Reuters
The pharmacy is still open. To ensure people had access to medication, the mayor paid for this chemist's accommodation. She stayed in town to help, instead of traveling with her family to Brescia.
Source: Reuters
That's because residents have stocked up. The Toniolo family told Reuters they spent about $325 on groceries to keep them fed.
Source: Reuters
They're also paying close attention to what's going on outside San Fiorano. The Toniolo family's generational difference can be seen in the way they consume news. Here, Marzio reads the latest update on his phone.
Source: Reuters
While his grandmother watches the news on television. Toniolo told Reuters they were monitoring 24-hour news stations to keep up-to-date.
Source: Reuters
Here, they watch the sunset together in an empty park. If nothing else, it means they can at least cross another day off the calendar.
Source: Reuters
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