Queues formed at supermarkets for food and supplies in northern parts of Italy after the outbreak of the coronavirus Covid-19.

Reportedly, officials have locked down certain Italian towns after two people died of the virus in Italy.

Shoppers waited outside retail outlets, which allowed them inside in small batches to stock their food reserves and other essential commodities, in response to the new measures.

Italian Government officials said that there has been a steep rise in the numbers of the people infected with the disease.

Cases of infections rose from three to 130, as of the morning of 23 February.

The majority of reports originated in a small town called Codogno, 70km south-east of Milan.

Government officials have planned various preventive measures to control the spread of the virus. These include the banning of public events across ten municipalities in the northern regions.

They also said that the army would also step in if required to enforce the perimeter.

So far, deaths due to the coronavirus Covid-19 globally have exceeded 2,600, with 2,592 deaths in mainland China alone, as of the end of 23 February.

Confirmed cases of infection have reached 79,000, with cases in mainland China exceeding 77,100. In other countries, cases have reached at least 1,300.

Across China, the total number of new coronavirus cases have been declining. Furthermore, daily recoveries have surpassed new confirmed infections since 18 February.

The total number of recoveries rose to more than 24,900 globally.