The coronavirus emergency has spurred the government to roll out measures to kick-start Italy's stumbling economy, premier Giuseppe Conte told reporters on Tuesday.
"This health emergency gives us more strength, vigour and determination to forge a programme of special measures to re-launch our economy," Conte said at a press conference in Rome.
"We will do this, we will succeed," Conte stated.
Italy has Europe's highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases to date - at least 231 - and at least seven people have died from the virus.
Almost all of Italy's coronavirus cases have been in the northern Lombardy and Veneto regions. The wealthiest and most industrialised, the two regions make up around two-thirds of national income (GDP) and also do the most business with China - epicentre of the coronavirus epidemic.
Italy's GDP shrank 0.3 percent from October to December and economists have warned the coronavirus epidemic could push Italy into recession in the first quarter of the year - its fourth since 2008.
