Italy to reopen factories in staged end to coronavirus lockdown

Italy is looking at restarting the economy by easing lockdown measures from May 4.

Outlining the road map, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said factories and building sites can reopen, while limited family visits will be allowed. 

"We expect a very complex challenge," he explained, adding, "We will live with the virus and we will have to adopt every precaution possible."

Retailers will be allowed to operate two weeks from May 4, while restaurants will be able to reopen fully from the beginning of June.

Parks will also reopen, but movement between regions continue to be suspended.

Schools, however, will remain shut until the start of the new academic year in September.

Restrictions have been in place since early March to combat the spread of coronavirus.

So far, the country has more than 197,000 cases and over 26,000 fatalities.