Apple Closes All Its Stores in Italy Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

Apple has closed all its stores in Italy amid the coronavirus outbreak that has shut down the country. The stores will remain closed 'until further notice'.

“As we support the work to contain and manage the spread of Covid-19, our priority remains the health and safety of everyone in the communities we serve,” Apple said in a statement on Wednesday.

There are over 12,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Italy and over 800 deaths thus far. The entire country of over 60 million citizens has been put under quarantine measures as it struggles to stop the spread of COVID-19. Today, all shops in the country were ordered to close except for grocery stores and pharmacies.


In the United States, Apple has reportedly cancelled its rumored March 31st press event at which the company was expected to unveil a new iPhone SE, iPad Pro updates, and more. The company has also instructed employees to work from home when possible.

Business Insider reports that retail employees are being told not to encourage customers to try on products like the Apple Watch and AirPods:

Apple Store employees are being instructed not to encourage customers to try on products like the Apple Watch and AirPods, and to only allow customers to do so upon request. It's part of the broader measures Apple is taking to protect its staff and customers amidst the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, which has killed 31 people in the United States and infected more than 1,150 as of Wednesday.

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