COVID-19 Rt transmission number and incidence down

(ANSA) - ROME, DEC 9 - Italy's COVID-19 Rt transmission number and incidence have dropped, according to the weekly coronavirus monitoring report of the health ministry and the Higher Health Institute (ISS).
    It said the Rt for the November 15-18 period was 1. 10, down from 1.14 in last week's report.
    An Rt above 1 indicates that the virus is in a phase of expansion.
    It said the incidence for the December 2-8 period was 375 cases for every 100,000 inhabitants, down from 386 the previous week.
    The report said, however, that the pressure the coronavirus is exerting on Italy's hospitals has risen.
    It said the proportion of intensive-care beds occupied by COVID sufferers had increased to 3.4% on December 8 from 3.2% seven days previous.
    It said 14.5% of ordinary-ward hospital places were taken up by coronavirus patients, compared to 13.3% on December 1.
    The report said that the number of regions where the COVID hospital occupancy rate was above the 15% alarm threshold had risen from seven to nine.
    They are Umbria (33.2%), Liguria (31.6%), Valle d'Aosta (28.4%), Friuli Venezia Giulia (22.9%), Emilia Romagna (19.4%%), Marche (18.6%), Abruzzo (18.5%), Veneto (16.5%) and Calabria (15.6%).
    (ANSA).