It's northern region, home to around 16 million people, has been under a virtual lock down since yesterday.

Italy is the hardest hit country in Europe, with more than 7300 reported infections.

Charlie Dagga is in Rome.

Charlie.

Why is the country enacting such drastic measures?

Well, Michelle, there are now new measures that include shutting down the Coliseum for the first time since this crisis began.

Why?

Because every evening at around six o'clock, we get the new figures in every evening.

We've seen those numbers jump.

When I first reported this one week ago.

Today they're around 1700 cases.

That has now quadrupled, with the death toll leaping by more than 50% in one day from 233 to 366 the race to save each life has become a military operation.

Inside that bio containment unit is a 62 year old woman surrounded by emergency teams taking every precaution they can.

Italians air just coming to terms with a shocking new reality.

The quarantine of 1/4 of the country's population, nobody in or out ah force lock down.

That includes a financial capital of Milan and Venice, one of Italy's main tourist draws.

Italy's beloved soccer games played behind closed doors.

Fans are banned.

At the Vatican, Pope Francis Live streamed his Sunday blessing on wide screens instead of his papal apartment window to discourage crowds from gathering.

Though he did make a surprise appearance when it was over in a Rome suburb, the faithful celebrated mass outdoors noticed the distance between them, adhering to government advice that members of the public should stay three feet away from one another.

We so prefer to keep a safe distance so we can pray together, said one parishioner.

But given the problems nowadays, it is important that we pray together.

Italy has enacted the most drastic measures outside of China because Italy's outbreak is one of the worst in the world outside of China, where there is hope of a turner out.

That country has reported no new cases outside it's hardest hit province for two days running.

Now.

It's not just the lock down than the North.

Nationwide museums have been closed, weddings and funerals have been suspended and the elderly especially, have been told please to stay at home, Tony.

Incredible pictures there, Charlie.

Negative force in Rome, Charlie.

Thank you very much.