Italy began a nationwide lockdown Tuesday in a drastic effort to contain the novel coronavirus, with limits on movement set to upend life for many. But while the outbreak worsens in Europe and the United States, China signaled growing confidence that it has contained the epidemic at home, with leader Xi Jinping visiting the city of Wuhan for the first time since the virus emerged there late last year.
Around the world, officials are implementing curbs on mobility as the overall number of cases tops 110,000. Italy alone has more than 9,000 cases and almost 500 deaths. Israel has mandated quarantine for all arriving travelers, while Japan is moving toward declaring a national emergency. President Trump said Monday that the White House would discuss a possible economic relief package for the United States with senior lawmakers.
Italy’s plans to restrict movement for 60 million people are unprecedented in the West, and come as investors display alarm about a possible global recession. Italians will be permitted to travel only for essential work, health reasons or other emergencies.
After Monday’s rout on Wall Street, stocks in Europe and Asia recovered Tuesday and oil prices and U.S. index futures shot higher.
Here are the latest developments:
  • China’s Xi arrived in Wuhan to inspect “epidemic prevention and control” efforts, state broadcaster CCTV reported. Previously Xi had dispatched the premier and a vice-premier to Wuhan, and analysts were waiting to see when the leader himself would visit, viewing this as a sign that China considered the epidemic was fully under control.
  • Italy’s restrictions on movements for residents begin Tuesday and will remain in place until at least April 3. Italians will be told to not travel, schools nationwide will be shuttered, and nearly all public events, from soccer matches to funerals, will halt. Restaurants will be required to close by 6 p.m.
  • More than 700 people in the United States have tested positive for the virus and 26 have died. Trump said Monday evening that his administration was considering payroll tax cuts with “very substantial relief." Two Republican congressmen who interacted with Trump over the past week said they are quarantining themselves after possible exposure to the virus.
  • Global markets regained ground Tuesday and oil prices were sharply higher. That marked a turnaround from Monday, when recession fears sent the Dow Jones industrial average down more than 2,000 points.