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| - Austria suspended classes and imposed border controls on neighbouring Italy Wednesday to try and stem the spread of the new coronavirus. Austria and Slovenia, another of Italy's neighbours, announced Tuesday strict travel restrictions and other measures in the wake of similar moves by Rome. Austria plans to suspend school classes from next week until Easter holidays in April. Guards at mobile check-points have begun to question people coming by road from Italy, authorities said, and several smaller border crossings are to be closed. Only freight traffic, people with a doctor's certificate and those who work or live in Austria are allowed to enter. Residents returning from Italy, the country hit hardest in Europe, must remain at home for two weeks. Police spokesman Rainer Dionisio told AFP that traffic across the border had plunged. "There is mainly just cargo transport," he noted. Austria has 245 confirmed cases of COVID-19 but no deaths, while Slovenia has 57 cases, and no deaths. Alessio Pappalardo, an Italian manager of a highway restaurant in the Brenner pass between Austria and Italy, said his temperature was checked when he arrived for work, even though he lives in Austria. The government has limited indoor gatherings to 100 people and outdoor events to 500 people. The state opera and Musikverein, home to Vienna's philharmonic orchestra, said they would cancel concerts until the end of March. Austrian Airlines said Wednesday it would cancel up to 50 percent of its flights in March and April, including all of those to Italy. Vienna International Airport reported a 30-percent drop in passenger traffic so far this month compared with the same period a year ago. burs-jza/wai/bsp
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