A silent panic befell northeastern Italy during the final weekend of carnival. Bars, schools, restaurants, and other public spaces in 10 towns here closed, with more expected to follow, after the region reported its first two deaths from the new coronavirus. From Milan to Venice, villages and communities resembled ghost towns.

The first victim, a 76-year-old man, died in Padua, in the Veneto region north of Venice, according to the Ansa news service. A second victim died in the Lombardy region southeast of Milan on Saturday, where at least 32 new cases were reported.

"It's a little worrying. Until this happened in Padua it almost seemed like a media stunt," Marco Bertoni, who lives in the northern city of Feltre, told Newsweek. "Now that it's closer, people are worried. Even though Padua isn't all that close, people are scared because they don't know the source. Let's hope it doesn't spread, but if it does, I think our health services are prepared."

More than 50,000 people have been asked to remain shuttered inside their homes and to avoid carnival celebrations, church masses, and sporting events.

"Everything is under control," Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte told local media.

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