Calabria, Emilia Romagna, Lombardy, Sicily and Veneto will become orange zones from Sunday, January 10th, Health Minister Roberto Speranza informed on Friday after reviewing Italy’s coronavirus transmission rates.
The newest report from Italy’s Higher Health Institute (ISS), released earlier the same day, confirmed that Italy’s Rt number had risen above 1 for the first time in six weeks.
The important thing indicator, which reveals the average number of individuals that each infected patient will pass the virus on to, stood at 1.03 across Italy between December 15-28th after rising for 4 weeks in a row, the ISS mentioned.
Whereas Lombardy recorded the highest Rt quantity at a peak of 1.27, nearly each area of Italy ought to be classed as both high or medium threat, in response to the ISS.
By its standards, which include 20 different indicators along with the Rt number, Emilia Romagna, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardy, Marche, Piedmont, Puglia, Trentino-Alto Adige, Umbria and Veneto are all at excessive threat, whereas Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Molise, Sardinia, Sicily and Valle d’Aosta are at reasonable threat. Only Tuscany was classed as low threat.
In addition to the rising reproduction number, the ISS pointed to the rising pressure on intensive care units, which at the moment are more than 30 % occupied nationwide. There has also been a bounce within the number of Covid-19 cases not traceable to a known chain of transmission, one other alarm bell.
The pandemic is “a fragile part that appears to herald a new, speedy increase within the number of cases in coming weeks, unless more stringent mitigation measures are rigorously set and implemented”, the ISS report mentioned, 5 areas of Italy will develop into ‘orange zones’ from January 10th, which means tighter restrictions, the entire of Italy is presently designated a “reinforced” yellow zone after the end of Christmas and New Yr restrictions, with travel allowed within areas however not between them. Shops, bars and restaurants are open, although food businesses should cease serving at 6pm and individuals are required to remain indoors under a nightly 10pm-5am curfew.
Stricter orange restrictions will come into place throughout the nation on Saturday and Sunday, with journey between cities restricted to essentials and bars and restaurants only allowed to serve takeaway.
Whereas most areas will return to yellow guidelines from Monday, Calabria, Emilia Romagna, Lombardy, Sicily and Veneto will stay orange zones till at least January 15th, when the prime minister is because of announce a new emergency decree replacing or extending Italy’s current coronavirus guidelines.
On the newest count 571,055 individuals were positive for coronavirus in Italy, with more than 3,500 new cases in 24 hours in Veneto. Lombardy and Emilia Romagna every reported more than 2,000 new infections, whereas Lazio, Campania and Piedmont every saw cases rise by more than 1,000.
