Rome will close one of its airports and reduce the activity of the international airport

The Italian airport of Rome Ciampino, used mainly by low-cost companies, will close its doors on Friday due to the epidemic of the new coronavirus, while that of Fiumicino, where international flights are concentrated, will decrease its activity from Tuesday, the management company announced on Thursday.

The entity decided to apply "a plan to reduce operations at the Fiumicino and Ciampino passenger terminals", after the "multiple cancellations" of flights to and from Italy announced by the airlines operating at the two airports in the capital.

The Ciampino airport, which is used in particular by Ryanair and Wizz Air, will close as of Friday night, a spokesperson confirmed.

Terminal 1 of Fiumicino, for domestic flights, where the airlines Alitalia and KLM-Air France also operate, will close from Tuesday.

On Monday, Fiumicino and Ciampino announced the introduction of preventive measures for all passengers traveling, a measure reserved so far for arrivals, including taking the temperature of all those leaving for countries outside the Schengen area.

Italy is the country in Europe most affected by the coronavirus pandemic, which has already left 827 dead and more than 12,000 cases in the country, according to the latest official figures available.

 Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced on Wednesday night the closure of all shops in the country, except for food and pharmacies.

Air France suspended all flights to Italy from March 14 to April 3, British Airways canceled all its connections to the peninsula from Tuesday. All flights from Spain and Portugal to Italy have been suspended until March 25.

More drastic, the company Air Canada that announced the suspension of its flights to Italy from Wednesday to May 1. AFP