On Friday, Italy reported an increase in new Covid cases and Rt number. A cluster of cases in Rome are linked to Italy’s quarter-final match at Euro 2020, two weeks ago.
Friday saw Italy pass the 60million vaccine shot mark. According to a government site, 60,196,129 doses had been given by Friday 17.05.
Of those, almost 26million, 48.12% of the population aged over 12, were fully vaccinated. That includes both single and double dose jabs.
New cases on the rise
Italy registered 2,898 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours and 11 coronavirus sufferers have died in that time, the health ministry said on Friday.
On Thursday there were 2,455 new cases and nine deaths. The ministry said 205,602 COVID tests had been carried out in the last 24 hours and the positivity rate was 1.4%. On Thursday there were 190,922 tests and the positivity rate was 1.3%.
The ministry said 161 COVID patients were in intensive care in Italy, up eight with respect to Thursday. Also, there were 1,088 coronavirus patients in ordinary hospital wards, down one on Thursday.
Rt transmission number increase
Italy’s COVID Rt transmission number and the incidence of cases were both significantly higher on Friday compared to last week. It is now 0.91 compared to 0.66 a week ago.
The incidence rate was also up to 19 from 11 last week, reported the Higher Health Institute (ISS) and the health ministry. The same report found infections among young people were also on the rise but were often asymptomatic.
“The Delta variant is running fast,” said Gianni Rezza, the health ministry’s prevention director. “It is 60% more transmissible than the Alpha variant.
“This virus is more contagious than last summer’s and at the moment it is primarily hitting young people”.
ISS President Silvio Brusaferro said the upswing in cases meant many regions were now considered moderate risk. “Fortunately, at the moment, the impact of the illness on hospital admissions remains minimal,” he said.
“The Delta variant is destined to grow and in other counties it is leading to a big increase in the number of new cases. So, it is important to trace contracts and plan quarantines and it is opportune to achieve vaccinate coverage with the double dose as soon as possible”.
Trapped abroad
Meanwhile, dozens of Italians found themselves trapped abroad – for example in Greece, Malta and Dubai – due to a rise in infections linked to the Delta variant.
The World Health Organisation warned about possible virus mutations that will be even more dangerous than the current ones.
Rome cluster linked to bar showing football
Rome’s ASL 3 health authority said on Friday a cluster of 91 COVID-19 cases is linked to a pub in the Monteverde district. People had gathered to see Italy’s quarter-final win over Belgium at Euro 2020 two weeks ago.
13 of the cases were considered ‘secondary’ as they regarded people who are friends or relatives of the pub’s customers and staff on the night. The age range of the people infected in the cluster went from 14 to 60.
The average age was 21. The authority said another cluster of 16 cases was linked to a pub in the seaside district of Ostia.
Green pass scope to extend?
The Italian government is considering expanding the scope of the Green Pass. As well as for access to flights, it is considering trains, ferries and coaches.
This is part of the effort to combat a resurgence due to the spread of the Delta variant, sources said on Thursday.
