A Covid update on the situation in Italy, and two regions suspend unvaccinated health workers.
On Friday, the health ministry’s covid update said Italy registered 7,409 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24-hour period and 45 coronavirus sufferers had died in that time. That compares to 7,270 cases and 30 deaths reported on Thursday.
The number of covid tests taken in the past 24-hours was 225,486 compared to 216,969 on Thursday. However, the positivity rate stayed the same at 3.2%
Transmission rate down, incidence rate up
Italy’s COVID-19 Rt transmission number has dropped to 1.27 from 1.56 last week, according to a draft of the weekly coronavirus monitoring report of the health ministry and the Higher Health Institute (ISS). An Rt above 1 indicates the epidemic is in a phase of expansion.
However, the incidence rate rose to 73 for every 100,000 inhabitants, up form 63 last week the draft report stated.
Meanwhile, ICUs across Italy had a total of 322 covid sufferers on 10th August, which is up from 258, a week previously. In ordinary hospital wards, there is a total of 3,033 coronavirus patients, up by 58 from the previous week.
The report stressed that none of Italy’s regions were above the critical thresholds for the proportion of COVID patients in intensive care and in ordinary hospital wards.
Double-jab gives almost 97% protection from death
The Higher Health Institute (ISS) and the health ministry also said on Friday that having complete vaccination for COVID-19, gives 96.82% protection from death. In most cases, full vaccination means having two vaccine shots.
A single dose of a covid vaccine gives is 82.26% effective at preventing death.
Sardinia and Liguria suspend unvaccinated health workers
Sources claimed on Thursday that the regions of Sardinia and Liguria are suspending unvaccinated health workers.
The sources state, Liguria has suspended without pay or transferred 71 health workers currently. Liguria’s regional health system employs approximately 25,000 people.
In Sardinia, the Health protection Agency prepared letters informing 57 health workers without Covid vaccination that they are being suspended.
In total, the Sardinian regional authorities are looking at over 700 health workers in both the private and public sector.
