Italy’s government is expected to announce the closure of schools, restaurants and shops across most of the country later today as a new wave of coronavirus infections puts hospitals under strain.

Prime minister Mario Draghi is expected to hold a cabinet meeting shortly to decide new restrictions for the eurozone’s third-largest economy, which on Thursday recorded almost 26,000 new Covid-19 cases and 373 deaths.

With new, more contagious variants now widespread, Italy’s more populated northern regions such as Lombardy, which includes Milan, will reportedly join several others in being classified as the highest risk “red zones” from Monday, as will Calabria in the south.

Lazio, the region that includes Rome, could also join them, although the situation is uncertain.

Draghi's new national unity government tightened restrictions for red zones earlier this month, to include not just the closure of bars, restaurants, shops and high schools but also primary schools. Residents are told to stay home where possible.

Other regions including Tuscany and Liguria are expected to pass into the medium-risk orange zone, with all shops, museums, bars and restaurants closed.

That leaves only Sicily in the lower category of yellow, and Sardinia in the new category of white, with hardly any restrictions at all.

More than 100,000 people with coronavirus have died in Italy since the pandemic swept the country a year ago, sparking a months-long lockdown and the worst recession since the second world war.

With new, more contagious variants now widespread, Italy’s more populated northern regions such as Lombardy, which includes Milan, will reportedly join several others in being classified as the highest-risk “red zones” from Monday, as will Calabria in the south.