The Department of Foreign Affairs is warning Irish people not to travel to any of the regions of Italy that have been placed under isolation.

Overnight, the Italian Government imposed a lock-down in the north of the country in a bid to limit the spread of coronavirus.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte signed a decree banning people from entering or leaving the Lombardy region and 14 provinces in four other regions

Around 16 million people, a quarter of the country’s population, are affected.

Museums, gyms and swimming pools will close. Cafes and restaurants can remain open – but people must stay a metre away from each other.

The lock-down is due to remain in force until April 3^rd.

The Department of Foreign Affairs is also advising against non-essential travel to the regions of Emilia Romagna, Veneto, Piedmont, and Le Marche.

Irish people who are already in Italy are advised to monitor developments regularly and follow the advice of local authorities.

People walk at Piazza del Popolo in Rome, Italy, amid the coronavirus outbreak, 06-03-2020. Image: Alberto Lingria/Xinhua

The lockdown was imposed after the number of people to test positive for COVID-19 jumped by 1,247 in 24 hours.

There are now nearly 6,000 cases in the country. A further 36 people have died as a result of the virus, bringing the Italian death toll to 233.

The red zones include the region of Lombardy – including its capital Milan – and the northern provinces of Modena, Parma, Piacenza, Reggio Emilia, Rimini, Pesaro, Urbino, Alessandria, Asti, Novara, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, Vercelli, Padua, Treviso and Venice.

The announcement caused chaos and confusion at train stations in major cities and anger among local politicians.

The head of Lombardy, Attilio Fontano, said the proposals “go in the right direction,” but were a “mess.”

The head of the neighbouring Veneto region, Luca Zaia, added: “We have seen these measures at the last minute. We did not help to draw them up, and now we are being asked to give our assent almost at once. It is literally impossible.”

The city of Rome without tourists and with few people walking the streets amid the coronavirus outbreak, 07-03-2020. Image: Matteo Nardone/Pacific Press via ZUMA Wire

Schools and universities remain shut down across Italy, the worst affected country in Europe.

Mr Conte said police forces would be in charge of stopping and checking on those who try to move from their towns.

“For Lombardy and for the other northern provinces that I have listed there will be a ban for everybody to move in and out of these territories and also within the same territory,” he said.

“Exceptions will be allowed only for proven professional needs, exceptional cases and health issues.”

People walk at Piazza del Popolo in Rome, Italy, amid the coronavirus outbreak, 06-03-2020. Image: Alberto Lingria/Xinhua

In Ireland, there was one further confirmed case yesterday in the Republic and three in the North yesterday – bringing the total on the island to 26.

There have been over 106,000 cases of the virus worldwide with nearly 3,600 deaths.

Over 80,000 of the cases have been in Mainland China. South Korea is the second-worst affected, with over 7,000 cases.

There have been 1,000 new cases in Iran, taking the total to 5,823. A further 21 people have died taking the total to 145.

Meanwhile, 67 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in the UK this afternoon, bringing the total there to 273.

It is the biggest 24-hour jump the UK has seen so far.

The vast majority of the cases are in England where London has 51. There are 41 cases in the south east and 35 in the south west.

The British Department of Health and Social Care said more than 23,500 people have been tested for the virus.

Additional reporting from IRN