Italy's Deputy Health Minister Pierpaolo Sileri said on Tuesday that he expects the spread of coronavirus to continue in a "gradual" and "controlled" way, adding that get-togethers with family and friends are a particular risk. "Circulation of the virus will rise. It is undeniable," Sileri told Italy's InBlu radio station. "Contagions will continue to go up but they will do so in a gradual way, with the growth controlled via swabs and surveillance."

"There are lots of hotspots and there will be an overlap with flu symptoms," he said. "But we do not have to worry. You spark panic when you talk about a second wave," he added. "The second wave that we will experience all over the world is unlikely to be like the one of February and March because that would mean we are not using masks, not washing hands, and being close to each other".