Ireland cautions against travel to coronavirus-hit areas of Italy

Ireland said its citizens should not travel to parts of Italy affected by an outbreak of the new coronavirus.

Italy's government has moved to close off the worst-hit areas in the northern regions of Lombardy and Veneto, and the death toll in the country from the disease rose to five on Monday.

"There has been an increase in the number of confirmed cases of Coronavirus in Italy... Citizens are advised not to travel to affected areas," the foreign ministry said on its website on travel advice updated on Monday.