Italy will ease a number of coronavirus-related restrictions from May 4 onwards, allowing citizens to do more outdoor sports and exercise near their homes, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Sunday, according to the dpa news agency.
Conte made the announcement in Rome while presenting the government's plan for the gradual reopening of the country after weeks of strict lockdown measures to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The government is also planning a gradual easing of restrictions on businesses, Conte said.
Italy, one the hardest-hit countries in Europe, has been under an effective lockdown since March 12, when public gatherings were banned and most stores shuttered.
The country has recorded more than 26,000 deaths and nearly 200,000 cases of the virus. The infection rates peaked in March and have since fallen, with the number of cases in hospital intensive care units declining significantly.
Conte said on Sunday that citizens would be allowed to move around in their own areas under certain rules starting in May, but travelling to other regions would remain largely prohibited for the time being.
He warned citizens that the fight against the outbreak was far from over.
"We will still be put to a hard test in the coming months," he stressed.
Schools will not reopen until September, Conte said in an earlier interview with the La Repubblica newspaper.
He also told the newspaper that certain "strategically" important economic activities could resume soon, possibly within the next week, including in the production and manufacturing sectors.
Priority should be given to export-driven businesses that are in danger of falling out of global supply chains, he said, as well as the building sector. However, the health and safety of employees was the top priority. New workplace rules are expected, to curb further outbreaks.