Newfoundlander leaves northern Italy shortly before lockdown amid COVID-19 outbreak

David Gosine packed two suitcases,hopped in his Jeep and headed for the border on Saturday night, fleeing the area ofTreviso in northern Italy hours before blockades were set up and borders locked down to prevent the spread of the country's cases ofCOVID-19.

Prime Minster Giuseppe Conte declared a national state ofemergency and closed downa large part of Italy's north on Sunday.

On Monday,Conteextended the lockdown to involve the entire country.

Italy currently has the highest number of COVID-19 related deaths outside mainland China, and is facingthe biggest outbreak in Europe.

"I was the last flight from Bologna to Frankfurt that afternoon and it was almost empty," Gosine, from Portugal Cove-St. Philip's, told CBC Radio's St. John's Morning Show from his hotel room in Toronto on Monday.

"There was more of a flocking to thetrain stations, because I guess the Italians who live in different parts of Italy wanted to get home to be with their families."

I went through customs, no temperature check.- David Gosine

The Public Health Agency of Canada isn't advising travellers from Italy to isolate themselves, but Gosine decided to self-quarantinein a hotel room in Toronto for two weeks to be safe.

"I think it's really important that we are responsible. I'm actually really low-risk because the work I do is in the rural areas and not in the city centres, but having travelled I thought that it was important to self-quarantine."

Gosine lives and works as a wine exporter and tour operator in Treviso.

Upon boarding his flight in Bologna, about 170 kilometres southwest of Treviso, Gosine was handed a pamphlet to fill out some personal information.

On the backside of the pamphlet was information about the symptoms of COVID-19, including a dry cough or a fever, and for anyone experiencing those symptoms to admit themselves to a hospital.

No temperature checks

Gosine saidlanding in Frankfurt was simple enough, although there were no screening systems in place for passengers.

"Nobody did a temperature check. I went through customs, no temperature check," he said. "There was nothing, really."

It was the same when he landed in Toronto.

But that didn't stop him from being cautious.

Gosine said he checked with the Canada Border Services Agency and the federal government's COVID-19 website.The only advice he was given was to simply monitor his health, hence the self-quarantine.

He was told to contact emergency health services if symptoms arise.

According to government's website, the Public Health Agency of Canadastill has Canadalisted aslow-risk, and the risk to Canadian travellers abroad is "generally low but will vary depending on the destination."

"It is important for all travellers to monitor their health when they return to Canada. While abroad, you may have come in contact with the novel coronavirus. PHAC asks that you monitor your health for fever, cough and difficulty breathing for 14 days after you arrive in Canada," the website reads.

As of Tuesday morning, there are 34 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ontario, 32in British Columbia, seven in Alberta and four in Quebec.

Canada had its first COVID-19-related death in B.C. on Sunday, but officials are urging people not to panic.

As for Italy, Gosine said the lockdown was necessary.

"I think it's absolutelywhat they had to do," he said.

"I think [they have] a very strong health-care system. It's one of the strongest health-care systems I've ever lived in. I have complete faith that this is going to turn around."

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