Italy extends coronavirus state of emergency to October 15 to check spread

Italy will extend its coronavirus state of emergency until October 15, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced in the Italian Senate on Tuesday.

The current state of emergency is set to expire on Friday.

"Although the curve of the contagion and the impact (of the coronavirus) on the national health service has reduced significantly, something that encourages us, the data tell us that the virus continues to circulate in our country," Conte said, Xinhua reported.

The state of emergency gives government officials temporary power to act quickly to tamp down new coronavirus outbreaks and allocate funding, all through the use of emergency decrees. It