Italy's COVID-19 Rt transmission
number was up slightly at 0.86 in the period between September
29 and October 12, according to a draft of the latest
coronavirus monitoring report of the health ministry and the
Higher Health Institute (ISS).
That compares to a RT of 0.85 in last week's report, a figure
which, in turn, was up from 0.83 the previous week.
A Rt of over 1 indicates that the epidemic is in a phase of
expansion.
The incidence of cases was up slightly too, at 34 for every
100,000 inhabitants in the period from October 15 to 21,
compared to 29 in last week's report.
Experts say it becomes difficult to track and trace cases once
the incidence goes over 50.
The report said that the pressure the coronavirus is exerting on
Italy's hospitals had continued to fall.
It said the proportion of intensive-care places taken up by
COVID patients was 3.9%, down from 4.1% last week.
It said the proportion of ordinary hospital places occupied by
coronavirus sufferers was down from 4.6% to 4.2%.
The report said the number of regions/autonomous provinces where
the COVID risk was considered moderate, rather than low, had
gone up from three to four.
They are Abruzzo, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Piedmont and new entry
Campania.
The weekly monitoring report was presented later on Friday after
was examined by the government's COVID-19 'control room'
taskforce.
It said that some 345,000 first jabs had been given in the last
week, and 7.6 million Italians over the age of 12 were without a
first vaccination.
After approving the draft, ISS chief Silvio Brusaferro said "in
Italy there is a situation of control of the pandemic".
He said there had been a "slight increase in mortality" over the
week.
"But we are still in the midst of a pandemic and prudence is
needed," he added.
Brusaferro added that vaccines had been shown to be "highly
effective" against the new virus variants that are springing up,
especially a new one that originated in the UK.
He said that there had been 86 sequencings of the delta variant
up to October 19.
Health ministry prevention chief Gianni Rezza said that the
general trend of he epidemic was "favourable".
Rezza added "we do not know when we'll have to revaccinate the
youngest members of society".
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