Four Italian regions are being put under "red-zone" lockdown, with severe limits imposed on the circumstances under which people can leave home, Premier Giuseppe Conte announced on Wednesday night.

What he called "very stringent" restrictions begin on Friday for Lombardy, Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta in the north, and for Calabria, which forms the southern toe of the Italian peninsula.

No one will be allowed to enter or leave the "red-zone" regions with only very few exceptions. People there must stay home, except to go to work or shop for essentials. 

"I know that these choices will mean sacrifices and difficulties, but they are the only way to bend the (contagion) curve," Health Minister Roberto Speranza said in a statement. "United, we can do it."

Less severe restrictions on movement were decided for southern Sicily and Puglia, where people will be able to leave their homes. A nighttime curfew will be imposed between 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. across the country and museums and exhibitions will also be closed.

Shopping centers will be closed on weekends and schools will also switch to full-time online learning, while public transportation will only operate at 50 percent capacity.

The latest crackdown was supposed to start on Thursday, but Conte said it will begin instead on Friday to allow time to organize. Designations will be reviewed every two weeks.

On Wednesday, Italy registered 30,550 new coronavirus cases and 352 fatalities.

According to Johns Hopkins University, Italy has so far recorded close to 790,377 confirmed coronavirus cases and 39,764 deaths as of Thursday.

(With input from agencies)