BOLOGNA, ITALY — Omas, a milling equipment manufacturer based in Italy, one of the countries hardest hit by the novel coronavirus outbreak, on March 4 issued a statement to its clients and suppliers of goods and services.

The company said it is making the “maximum commitment in order to ensure the health of its employees and associates, as well as that of suppliers and customers.”

“To this end, we confirm the implementation of accurate compliance to all the health and hygiene requirements determined by the competent authorities, and we have arranged that all our employees implement the required hygiene and behavior measures to prevent the spread of the virus,” Omas said.

As of March 4, Italy had reported more than 2,500 cases — including 79 deaths — of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), which originated in China in December and has since spread to more than 80 countries.