The transmissibility index for Covid-19 decreases, going from 0.96 in the previous week to 0.76, remaining below the epidemic threshold. The incidence also decreases, from 103 cases to 70 per 100 thousand inhabitants. The latest monitoring of the Ministry of Health-Istituto Superiore di Sanità revealed these positive trends, as reported by ANSA.
Between December 21 and 27, the number of reported infections was 40,988, down from 60,556 the previous week. The decline in incidence, however, may be partly attributed to a reduced frequency of diagnoses during the holidays, according to the ISS.
As of December 27, the occupancy of beds in the medical area was 11.0%, with 6,834 hospitalized, a slight decrease from the previous week. The occupancy of intensive care beds was essentially stable at 3.2%. Hospitalization and mortality rates increase with age, with the highest values in the 90+ age group. The rate of admission to intensive care also increases with age.
The weekly incidence of diagnosed and reported cases is decreasing in most regions, with the highest incidence reported in the Abruzzo region (149 cases per 100,000 inhabitants) and the lowest in Sicily (3 cases per 100,000 inhabitants). The age group that records the highest weekly incidence rate is those over 90 years. The percentage of reinfections is around 45%, and the proportion of sequencing attributable to the variant of interest Jn.1 is confirmed to be growing, becoming the most frequent variant in the last consolidated sampling week.
Based on currently available data, JN.1 does not appear to pose additional public health risks compared to other circulating lineages.
These findings provide a glimmer of hope as the Covid-19 situation continues to evolve, with efforts to monitor and mitigate the spread of the virus ongoing. For the full article, visit ANSA.it.