Pictures: Italy quarantines 16 million people in the north to contain coronavirus' advance

Piazza Bra, virtually deserted as Italy battles a coronavirus outbreak, in Verona. | Italy announced a sweeping quarantine early Sunday, restricting the movements of about a quarter of its population in a bid to limit contagions and end the virus' advance at the epicenter of Europe's outbreak.

An empty road leading to Linate Airport in Milan. | Shortly after midnight, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte signed a decree affecting about 16 million people in the country's prosperous north, including the Lombardy region and at least 14 provinces in neighboring regions.

An empty train to Rome is seen in Verona. | Until April 3, people will be barred from entering or leaving vast areas of northern Italy without a serious and urgent reason to do so, according to a decree signed off by the prime minister overnight and published online.

Tourists walk wearing sanitary masks in front of the Duomo gothic cathedral in Milan. These quarantine zones are home to more than 16 million people and include the regions around Venice and financial capital Milan, while cinemas, theatres and museums will be closed nationwide.

People pass by the Coliseum in Rome amid fear of Covid-19 epidemic.

Cutomers queue to pay their food and essential products in a supermarket in Milan.

People visit Piazza of Duomo, virtually deserted as Italy battles a coronavirus outbreak, in Florence.

A woman wears a protective face mask at Roma Termini railway station, after the Italian government imposed a virtual lockdown on the north of the country, in Rome.

Piazza Sordello, virtually deserted as Italy battles a coronavirus outbreak in Mantua.

A woman wears a protective face mask at Roma Termini railway station, in Rome.

Empty streets are seen as the Italian government prepares to adopt tough new measures to contain the spread of coronavirus, in Milan.

A picture shows the deserted Corso Vittorio Emanuele, one of the busiest shopping areas of the city of Milan.

A train to Rome is seen after the Italian government imposed a virtual lockdown on the north of the country, in Verona.

A general view of Porta Garibaldi city gate, after the Italian government imposed a virtual lockdown on the north of the country, in Milan.

Passengers wearing a protective face mask wait outside the arrivals terminal in Linate Airport in Milan.

An empty hall of Linate Airport in Milan, after millions of people were placed under forced quarantine in northern Italy.

A woman in face mask is seen at Milan's Porta Garibaldi railway station.

A man wears a protective face mask after the Italian government imposed a virtual lockdown on the north of the country, in Milan.