(Bloomberg) -- Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said two coronavirus patients are currently in isolation in a Rome hospital and all flights to and from China have been halted.

The two Chinese tourists have been under observation since Wednesday, Conte said in a press conference in Rome, adding that there is no reason to panic and that the country is well prepared to cope with the emergency.

The announcement comes at the end of a tense day that saw about 7,000 people blocked on a cruise ship in Civitavecchia, near Rome, after a passenger reported fever and respiratory problems. The passenger eventually tested negative to coronavirus and holidaymakers were allowed to disembark late Thursday.

Conte said Italy’s cabinet will meet Friday to discuss further steps to tackle the crisis.

To contact the reporter on this story: Alessandro Speciale in Rome at aspeciale@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Chad Thomas at cthomas16@bloomberg.net, Chiara Vasarri, Tommaso Ebhardt

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