Italy's government agrees on COVID-19 hard-hit Lombardy region new curbs request - health ministry

ROME (Reuters) - Italy's government agreed on a request from the Lombardy region, hard hit by COVID-19, to impose further restrictions to curb a new surge in infections, an health ministry spokesman told Reuters on Monday.

Lombardy, centred around Italy's financial capital Milan, accounts for some 128,400 of the over 423,500 coronavirus cases detected in Italy since the outbreak was discovered in February.

The Lombardy region said in a statement it would propose the government stop from Oct. 22 non-essential economic activities and people's movements between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m, adding they would also be asked to shut down all large shops on Saturday and Sunday.

(Reporting by Angelo Amante and Elvira Pollina; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)