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After four weeks in which Covid was growing ever faster, there is now a significant slowdown: in the last week photographed by the ISS report, there were just over 36 thousand cases, with an increase of 17.3% compared to the previous week . the increase in hospitalizations is also slight and in this phase of the pandemic which is increasingly becoming endemic (i.e. a phase of coexistence with the virus) is the most important indicator: the “ordinary” departments see 4% of beds occupied from Covid patients (2,533) intensive care 1% of places (91 more serious patients)
The new weekly report on Covid
As mentioned, according to the latest Covid-19 monitoring report, edited by the Higher Institute of Health and the Ministry of Health, cases in Italy are still growing, even if the increase is more contained than that of last week. In the period from 14 to 20 September, 36,777 cases were recorded, an increase of 17.3% (last week’s increase was 44.4% with 30,777 new infections). With the Rt index – which measures the speed of the spread of infections – slightly decreasing to 1.08. The most important indicator – that of hospitalizations – shows a slight increase which confirms that the situation in hospitals is largely under control: there are 2533 patients in the medical departments (the previous week there were 2378) with bed occupancy at 4% (it was 3.8% seven days before) and 91 those hospitalized in intensive care (there were 76) with employment rising slightly to 1% from 0.9 the week before.
Information on schools and public employees is coming soon
Meanwhile, indications are awaited on the management of asymptomatic positive cases at school and beyond: on this front, a Health-Education table has been set up which has also been opened to the Civil Service to provide indications to public workers as well. In case of contagion, will it be possible to go to school with a mask instead of staying at home? «Symptomatic patients and children must stay at home, as for any contagious respiratory disease», for «the time necessary for the positivity to disappear; they are contagious especially in the first five days. What we are focusing on and still evaluating is the behavior when faced with cases that are positive but asymptomatic”, explained the Minister of Health Orazio Schillaci. Which he warns: «Our decisions will be based on two key concepts. The first is that the disease no longer has the virulence characteristics of the past, despite being clear that frail subjects, the elderly, cancer patients and all patients at risk must be protected in any case. The second is that after having brought Covid back into the category of transmissible respiratory diseases, after having removed the obligation of isolation for positive patients, we are evaluating the needs within classes and schools to protect children, teachers, and school staff who present elements of fragility”.