“It was identified by the team of Professor Fausto Baldanti, director of the Microbiology and Virology Unit of the IRCCS San Matteo di Pavia, the covid variant XBB.1.16 called ‘Arturo'”. This was communicated by the Councilor for Welfare of the Lombardy Region, Guido Bertolaso. “At the moment there is no news of other identifications of ‘Arturo’ in Italy – comments Bertolaso - we promptly notified the Ministry of Health and our laboratories are in continuous contact with the Istituto Superiore di Sanitàwith whom they collaborate in national surveillance”.
“I congratulate Professor Baldanti and his team for the important surveillance activity – adds Bertolaso - congratulations to be extended to all the Lombard laboratory scientists who continue the careful work of analysis”. “The ‘Arturo’ variant – explains Professor Baldanti – she was identified through active screening at the hospital which includes both hospitalized patients and patients accessing the emergency room”. “The European Center for Infectious Diseases Control (ECDC) – continues the virologist – in the March 23 report has not yet associated the variant with features that have the greatest impact on gravitynor on the ability to infect, at the moment we are carefully evaluating the situation”. for all respiratory viruses, proper hand hygiene and the use of masks in the presence of frail/sick people and when you have flu symptoms”.