In a new ordinance on Tuesday, the southern region instructed people to remain within their province of residence except for absolute necessities. 

The limit on movement, the strictest yet since Italy began phasing out its nationwide lockdown in May, is expected to be accompanied by a nighttime curfew as Campania battles a sharp rise in coronavirus infections.

READ ALSO: Lombardy and Campania to impose Covid-19 evening curfew

Both restrictions are due to take effect from Friday, October 23rd. It's not clear how long they will remain in place.

Under the new rules, people will be authorised to cross provincial lines only for reasons of work, health, family, school or other “urgent necessity”, attested by a self-certification form.

Residents can continue to travel across the region in order to return to their place of residence (including a “habitual domicile” where they usually live but may not be officially registered). 

It's not clear how the rules apply to people who aren't residents of Campania.

Campania has also ordered primary and secondary schools to cancel in-person classes for the rest of the month as new cases rise to more than 1,000 per day.

And in the Covid-19 hotspot of Arzano on the northern outskirts of Naples, the region has declared a localised lockdown, ordering bars, restaurants and non-essential shops to close and forbidding residents to leave the municipality. 

As well as the restrictions on movement, regional governor Vincenzo De Luca wants to introduce a region-wide curfew from 11pm to 5am, when businesses will have to close and people should stay indoors.

Italy's national government has already given the go-ahead for a curfew in Lombardy, currently the region reporting the highest number of new infections.