Italy to significantly ease lockdown from 4 May, Conte says

Italian authorities will ease the Mediterranean country's lockdown measures significantly, possibly as soon as in a fortnight.

In a post on Facebook, premier Giuseppe Conte said the government was working on such a plan for when the current restrictive measures lapsed, on 4 May.

"Before the end of this week I am confident I will be able to inform you of this plan and illustrate the details of this articulated programme," Conte said via Facebook, according to ANSA.

"I'd like to be able to say - let's reopen everything. Right away. We'll start from tomorrow. But it would be irresponsible.

"It would cause the contagion curve to go back up in an uncontrollable way and it would reverse the results of the efforts made so far, all together".