Duomo open, Italy's Milan tries to return to life

Milan's lace-like Duomo cathedral swung open its gates to tourists Monday as Italy's financial capital tried to get back on its feet after landing in the heart of Europe's coronavirus outbreak. Yet fears over COVID-19 still haunted a region where 38 of the 52 deaths have occurred in Europe's third largest economy since February 22. Visitors were allowed into the Duomo -- along with the city's main museums -- only on a quota basis as authorities sought to stem overcrowding to lower the odds of contagion, There were few reasons for the extra precautions: the number of reporters who descended on Milan's most renown tourist site easily outnumbered the tourists and locals milling on its central square. "There are very few people inside the Duomo," Japanese tourists Isamu Ohashi said after a 30-minute stroll across its famed marble floors. "I could enjoy the Duomo with fewer people than normal. So personally, I was a little bit lucky," the 24-year-old said with a shy laugh. "But this situation is very difficult for the government," Ohashi added in a graver tone. - Looming recession - Indeed it is. Italy's main index on the Milan Stock Exchange a few short blocks off the main square shed three percent in early trading before recovering somewhat and finishing down 1.5 percent. This extended a week of losses triggered by fears that measures aimed at stamping out the virus were also suffocating economic activity and disrupting global supply chains. Italy's sluggish economy is now flirting with the possibility of recession caused by the emergence of the new viral strain that first appeared in China at the end of last year. Economy Minister Roberto Gualtieri promised Sunday to inject 3.6 billion euros ($4.0 billion) into businesses most affected by the slowdown. Japan's Ohashi offered eye-witness testimony of just how badly Italy's crucial tourism industry was being hit "Milan is empty," the 24-year-old observed. "I also visited Venice -- it is also empty." - 'Churches are not cinemas' - Italy is now officially divided into three coronavirus zones. One in Italy's north covers 11 municipalities and 50,000 people and has been placed under quarantine. Milan's Lombardy province is in a less-restrictive zone that also includes the tourist mecca Venice and foodies' favourite Bologna. Schools and universities in these three regions are to remain closed at least until the end of the week. The surrounding ski resorts have stayed open on the condition that lifts are only operated at one-third capacity. Major sporting and cultural events have been suspended and Milan's grand La Scala opera and other hot-ticket sites remain closed. The city's happening nightclubs are now no-go zones. The rest of the country has had restrictions imposed on a case-by-case basis that make travel fiendishly difficult to arrange. Rome's Church of St Louis of the French -- home to paintings by the Baroque master Caravaggio -- closed Sunday after one of its priests tested positive for the virus upon returning to France. The government's approach has not been universally well-received. A lay Catholic social service organisation criticised the number of churches that have been closed in Italy's north. "Churches are being grouped together with cinemas and theatres," said Andrea Riccardi, founder of the Community of Saint'Egidio. "Churches are not only places for gathering but also a spiritual place, a resource in a difficult time." It was a view shared on the vast but empty square in front of the Duomo. "It is important for the cathedral to reopen," visitor Ivano Caiola said. "It is useless to open a supermarket and not reopen a church." Milan's Duomo and main museums only allowed people in on a quota basis to avoid overcrowding Major sporting and cultural events have been suspended and theatres and nightclubs shuttered� Italy's sluggish economy is now flirting with the possibility of recession caused by the outbreak