Timeline: How Italy's coronavirus crisis became the world's deadliest

Italy recorded 602 deaths on Monday from the coronavirus — a staggering total that could nonetheless be some cause for hope because it's the second day of decline from Saturday's high of 793.

The big picture: Monday marks two weeks since Italy entered a nationwide lockdown, with officials warning at the time that we wouldn't get a sense of how effective the measures had been until right about now.

• Italians are desperate for signs that a corner is being turned. So too are other countries that have been tracking their outbreaks based on how far they are behind Italy's.

Timeline:

• Jan. 31: Italy suspends flights to China and declares a national emergency after two cases are confirmed in Rome (2 confirmed cases).
• Feb. 20: A man in Lombardy tests positive after previously leaving the hospital without a test. He is believed to have spread the disease widely before developing severe symptoms (3 cases).
• Feb. 23: Small towns hit by the outbreak are placed under quarantine. Carnival celebrations and some soccer matches are canceled (150 cases).
• March 4: Schools and universities are closed (3,089 cases).
• March 8: Several northern provinces are placed under lockdown (7,375 cases).
• March 9: The lockdown is extended nationwide (9,172 cases).
• March 11: All restaurants and bars are closed (12,462 cases).
• March 22: Factories are closed and all nonessential production is halted (59,138 cases).

What they're saying:

"Italy looked at the example of China ... not as a practical warning, but as a 'science fiction movie that had nothing to do with us.' And when the virus exploded, Europe ... 'looked at us the same way we looked at China.'"