Last checked at 
(Adds reference to other banks, policies)
By Pamela Barbaglia and Valentina Za
LONDON/MILAN, Feb 25 (Reuters) - Investment banks including
Citigroup Inc, Credit Suisse and Nomura
have curbed trips to Italy on fears that the coronavirus
outbreak across the north of the country could quickly spread
across Europe, four sources told Reuters.
Lazard, BNP Paribas and Deutsche Bank
also rushed to warn staff against all non-essential
travel to northern Italy, the sources said, speaking on
condition of anonymity as banking policies are confidential.
Bankers working on sensitive deals were told to seek special
permission from top management if they still wanted to fly into
Milan, Bologna or other northern Italian towns, the sources
said.
Nomura was first to adopt a rigorous approach by restricting
client visits to all countries with coronavirus cases, including
France, one of the sources said.
"They are all grounded," this source said referring to
Nomura's bankers in Milan.
Citi, Credit Suisse and Nomura declined to comment while
Lazard was not immediately available.
The curbs come as coronavirus infections have soared across
northern Italy over the past few days, causing seven deaths and
nearly 300 cases.
It is the first time banks have restricted trips within
Europe as most financial institutions have so far only applied
travel bans to mainland China, imposing a 14-day quarantine on
those who had recently returned.
Most bankers in London who want to see clients in Italy fear
they may face similar quarantines.
Paris-based bankers have been urged to follow
recommendations issued by the French government for people
returning from "risky countries" - now including northern Italy
- to stay home for 14 days, two of the sources said.
STUCK AT HOME
Nearly 300 people in Italy have come down with the virus
since Friday, latest data showed, the vast majority of them in
the wealthy northern regions of Lombardy and Veneto.
Most financial institutions have told their employees living
near the affected areas to work from home rather than the office
and postpone business trips.
Morgan Stanley, Lazard and Barclays have
empty offices in Milan as most staff are working remotely, three
other sources said.
Credit Suisse has also encouraged local bankers to stay home
and avoid face-to-face client visits, they said.
The banks declined to comment.
Milan-based Mediobanca and UniCredit
issued statements to emphasize their respective commitment to
keeping their employees safe at home.
Similarly French banks BNP and Credit Agricole
urged their Italian staff to limit business trips, rely on
"smart working" and suspend training activities and internal
events.
Meanwhile a series of Italian private equity funds including
Clessidra SGR, Armonia SGR and state-backed funds Fondo FSI and
Fondo Italiano d'Investimento have cancelled their planned
attendance at the SuperReturn conference in Berlin where they
were set to talk about buyout deals in Italy.
Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte warned on Tuesday that
the economic fallout from the outbreak could be "very strong"
but also said he was hopeful that the contagion would come under
control soon given the measures his government had taken.
"I can't say I'm not worried ... but I'm confident we'll
have a containing effect in the next few days," he said.
(Reporting by Pamela Barbaglia in London and Valentina Za in
Milan; Additional reporting by Maya Nikolaeva in Paris, Chibuike
Oguh in New York Stephen Jewkes and Clara Denina; Editing by
Lisa Shumaker and Alexandra Hudson)
