One of the reasons for this is the health risks involved and the other is that in case the Italian authorities see a need for expanding the quarantine, nobody will be able to leave the towns, villages and areas in question until it is lifted, Tamás Menczer said.

The ministry is asking Hungarians in Italy to pay attention to warnings and obey the instructions of the local authorities, he said. The Hungarian ministry is monitoring the situation and will keep the public informed about all the relevant measures, the state secretary said.

Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport operator Budapest Airport said on Sunday that flights from northern Italy would be monitored and passengers from such flights would be scanned with heat cameras.

No passengers had high temperatures on the first two affected flights, from Treviso and Bergamo, respectively, on Sunday.

MTI Photo: Balogh Zoltán