Italian regions will be allowed to independently lift quarantine restrictions

The Italian government said on Monday that it would give its 20 regions the power to relax measures against coronaviruses.

Almost half of the country's 31,000 deaths are in the northern region of Lombardy, which has led the government to abandon its unique approach to reducing restrictions.

The country recorded only 744 new cases on Monday, the smallest daily increase since March 4. Ministers and local government leaders agreed at a meeting that regions could set their own pace to relax measures: "We have always said that if the contagion were encouraging, we would have advanced reopening", said the Minister of Foreign Affairs. , Luigi Di Maio.

"The regions will receive directives to open bars, restaurants, hairdressers and beauty clinics from May 18," he added.

According to guidelines established by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, bars, restaurants and hairdressers were to remain closed until June 1 at least.

"Prime Minister Conte has accepted our request for autonomy. To move forward with common sense, we will all start again together," said Giovanni Toti, head of the north-western Liguria region.

Last month, the North Italian region of Veneto broke with the national government and announced that it would lift some of the restrictions a week before the scheduled date.