Rome (dpa) - Italians have been told to stay indoors to limit the risk of catching coronavirus, but they are finding creative ways to connect with each other from a distance.

In recent days, people all over the country have been leaning out of their windows or stepping onto balconies to join their neighbours in playing music, singing, dancing and clapping together.

One campaign, called #unitimalontani (united but far part), urged Italians to come together at 6 pm (1700 GMT) every evening from Friday through to Sunday.

On Friday, the message was to sing the national anthem, while for Saturday the chosen tune was "Azzurro," one of the post popular Italian songs in the world.

In another event organized for Saturday at noon, people peered from their windows and balconies and broke into applause in support of health workers battling the outbreak.

A banner with a rainbow and the slogan "Andra tutto bene" (It will all go well) can be seen hanging from many buildings.

In Rome's Trastevere district, all church bells will ring every night from 8 pm in solidarity with those hit by the crisis, the Sant'Egidio Catholic charity, based in the area, said.

Italy is facing the worst coronavirus crisis in the world outside of China, with more than 17,000 contagions and 1,266 dead reported as of late Friday.

The government has closed all shops except those selling essential items like groceries and pharmacies, and is urging everyone to stay home unless for work, health or urgent needs.

The restrictions are unprecedented for any modern liberal democracy, but Italians seem to the adapting to the extraordinary situation in good spirit.

In one example in Rome's Testaccio district, staff of a local supermarket were offering free chocolates to people having to wait outside due to limits on the amount of shoppers allowed in at a time.